UA AND US Merger Talks

[VAflyGal]

Yeah...over it... I noticed

It was dry humor.

As for being over it, its like a bad marage waiting for the divorce to be final. It ain't over until you are way beyond over it.

What would happen with our two miserable pilot groups if a UA merger were approved?

 

[cltrat]

Sorry to burst everyone's bubble before this thread reaches 1000 pages, but here is a clip from the UAL ALPA MEC:

"The New York Times this afternoon published a story that reports that “UAL Corporation, the parent of United Airlines, and US Airways are in talks to merge.” The story went on to say that United and US Airways “are deep in their merger discussions, though a transaction is not expected to be announced for at least several weeks.”

The United Master Executive Council has confirmed that this report is speculation. While talks could develop at some future date, with US Airways or any other carrier, presently there are no meaningful merger discussions with US Airways. "

it goes on to say:

"We are opposed to any merger that is not beneficial to the careers and the long-term future of United pilots. We vehemently oppose any merger that would not lead to a stronger and viable United Airlines."

You can take this to mean that UA pilots are not interested in US Airways and IMO we would shut the place down even to the point of Chapter 7 than allow a slow and painful death as the one US Airways is suffering. The only merger that would gain support of labor at UA and have any chance of mutual success is one with CO, and only if it is structured similar to the DL/NW merger.

lol like UA is the shining star of airlines and profits you lose more money than US get over yourself

 

[goodgirl37]

Sorry to burst everyone's bubble before this thread reaches 1000 pages, but here is a clip from the UAL ALPA MEC:

"The New York Times this afternoon published a story that reports that “UAL Corporation, the parent of United Airlines, and US Airways are in talks to merge.” The story went on to say that United and US Airways “are deep in their merger discussions, though a transaction is not expected to be announced for at least several weeks.”

The United Master Executive Council has confirmed that this report is speculation. While talks could develop at some future date, with US Airways or any other carrier, presently there are no meaningful merger discussions with US Airways. "

it goes on to say:

"We are opposed to any merger that is not beneficial to the careers and the long-term future of United pilots. We vehemently oppose any merger that would not lead to a stronger and viable United Airlines."

You can take this to mean that UA pilots are not interested in US Airways and IMO we would shut the place down even to the point of Chapter 7 than allow a slow and painful death as the one US Airways is suffering. The only merger that would gain support of labor at UA and have any chance of mutual success is one with CO, and only if it is structured similar to the DL/NW merger.

Well 767, I am not particularly keen of the idea of a US - UAL merger, ESPECIALLY with Doug at the reins, but this is pretty common language in regards to talks of merger, this is what is said nearly every time by every work group. In agreeance with you, I do not believe the UAL pilots will be an easy bunch to work with. MGMT, will have to pass a sweet pot to the pilots of all airlines, UA/US/HP to get this baby through, and quite frankly, i dont see it happening. Then on the other hand, US could say, well this is a last option for us, its this, or we can fragment the company, and vice versa. F/A's are easy , we are all AFA, DOH....... IMHO, this could a chance at dismantling much of the US route system once merged and keeping CLT and a downsized PHL, then continuing a merger with CAL, basically taking out US in the grand scheme of things. This would do 2 things, give MAJOR NE and South prescence, as well as ORD, SFO, LAX, EWR, DCA, DEN, IAH, ASIA, EUROPE, AFRICA, S. AMERICA.., MID EAST.. This IMHO, is just a step of the bigger plan, CAL cant stand alone if UA and US merge, and they basically cant merge with AA, this would leave AA with JBLU, if and i doubt it would, ever happen.. I just hope whatever happens they offer good buyouts.

 

[BoeingBoy]

It is interesting that this thread is up to 4 pages in less than 24 hours while over on the UA forum the only comment about a possible US/UA merger was added by Black Swan to a CO/UA merger thread started after CO joined the *A.

Jim

 

[ggiby]

Wow, was that really necessary? Did it make you feel better to crush that FA, who had just received a recall letter?

Nice going.

I did not crush that person. I just wanted him/her to know, that this will happen weather any of us want it to or not. I just stated the fact that many of us have been through this more than once. It happens. Weather or not it happens w/ UA or another carrier. We should be grateful that UA is an afa carrier. If it is AA we will all get stapled and then gone.... poof... no job. I was not trying to insult the person, just trying to say its gonna happen. We have no control.... so sit back and relax. It may help w/ job stability as well. I don't know why you took it as an insult..... Just fact....

 

[Itestwell]

It is interesting that this thread is up to 4 pages in less than 24 hours while over on the UA forum the only comment about a possible US/UA merger was added by Black Swan to a CO/UA merger thread started after CO joined the *A.

Jim

And what's your point? No one ever really posts on these forums, with the exception of AA and US forums. Go to FlyerTalk's UA thread; it's up to 16 pages already.

 

[IberiaMAL]

Seriously?

With a well-established IAD hub only an hour up the road, and with its much higher O/D traffic and recession-proof government business?

US Airways still has 200 daily flights out of DCA. IAD offers nothing to the US Airways system that PHL/CLT/DCA doesn't offer. IAD has some international flights that PHL doesn't and vice versa.

During the month of march;

Charlotte - 558 flights
Philadelphia - 424 flights
Washington DCA - 176 flights



That would not all be thrown out for IAD... Not to mention, US is planning on beefing up Charlotte to ~700 Daily Flights (according to the rumor mill) now that the new runway is complete. US is adding 6 additional aircraft to a couple banks, I believe concourse E is being expanded ahead of schedule and now are going to get 2 A330 capable gates at the end of E, etc. etc.

 

[ggiby]

Thanks HP!

To be honest, I kind of expected someone from the East camp to make a comment like that.

In any case, I found the AFA merger policy but there's no direct mention of furlough policy. It's up to each carrier and I'm having a devil of a time wading thru the UAL AFA Contract.

We have it in our contract..... has nothing to do w/ UAL's contract.... read your contract...

 

[BoeingBoy]

If it is AA we will all get stapled and then gone.... poof... no job.

Any merger where different unions are involved automatically triggers the "new" federal legislation calling for negotiation and ending with binding arbitration if necessary, so getting stapled to the bottom is highly unlikely.

Jim

 

[aquagreen73s]

Au contraire, esteemed one. Where have you been the last five years? At the end of the day pesky arbitrators matter not, but only the will of the majority is controlling.

 

[ggiby]

Any merger where different unions are involved automatically triggers the "new" federal legislation calling for negotiation and ending with binding arbitration if necessary, so getting stapled to the bottom is highly unlikely.

Jim

Didn't that happen when AA took TWA? How many TW'b people still work for AA?

 

[ebwgs]

Second, the reason one 'starts over' is due to the negotiated contracts. There's no reason why "total service time" at all carriers cannot be taken into account when determining pay. Seniority I can understand (for scheduling and the like), but hiring a pilot with 20 yrs of experience should cost most than hiring a pilot with 2 yrs of experience.

It's never a good thing when you're tied to one company, effectively for life, as the only means to increase your pay. It puts you in a very, very tough spot and is one of the primary reasons so many concessionary contracts passed in the first place.
.

I agree with you 100%

 

[FWAAA]

Didn't that happen when AA took TWA? How many TW'b people still work for AA?

The FAs were stapled by the APFA and almost none still work for AA. Pilots were slotted and a few still work for AA. Mechanics had an arbitration (Kasher) and were given protection at some stations.

The federal anti-stapling law was enacted precisely because of the stapling of the TWA employees by the AA unions. Won't (can't) happen again.

 

[freedom]

i think in the event of a merger , the best way to put aside dissent and not make the mistakes of prior mergers is to simply do DOH for every unionized work group ... it's fair , it's fast , it's effective ...

 

[Newsound]

In a perfect world US renounces the merger between AWE and US Air. UA and US Air merge and AWE/CO merge.