And herein the seeds are sown for the next incarnation of the Who Saved Who argument.
Can't blame people for wanting to protect what they've worked for regardless of who's uniform they've been wearing. It's been hard enough for folks at US and UA to try and keep what's theirs as it is, we have to be aware that management(s) are going to try to "synergize" the hell out of us by slicing here and snipping there. In this environment it's all too easy to retrench into the little camps we're familiar with, but in the face of this there will be no safety in clinging to the eroding identities of dead airlines.
AWA and the old US are gone; if this merger goes forward the East/West paradigm is going to get blown out of the water and a decent lot of us might just find out that the only good it's done us is leave us with our pants down when reality comes knocking at the door.
Crying, moaning, spitting, scratching, fighting, litigating and digging heels into the ground has proven entirely ineffective. If everyone plans on coming to the table with chips on their shoulders then we're guaranteed additional years of bitterness and infighting all to the benefit of management and the detriment of ourselves and those we work side by side with.
There's a lot to be afraid of right now seeing as there's so much speculation and so few details. I might be entirely naive and stupid but instead of seeing this as a guaranteed failure and bloodbath I think we need to drop the baggage, curtail the pride, suck it up and when the time warrants it, extend our hands across the way to our complimentary workgroups in UA and put some hard work in restoring the influence of labor and coming up with real solutions and a gameplan for success.
No one here doubts that any such merger has the potential to be monstrously complicated and painful, but in five years hence I'd rather be working at a healthy and functional carrier than having internet fights and workplace animosity with my involuntary coworkers. This bitterness and baggage is exhausting and soul dragging, and I haven't even been in the game that long; it's the Kool-Aid we've all been making and passing around. We should no longer accommodate or pay heed to those that would rather obsess over fading injustices than plan for and work towards a better future.
Stay in the know, get educated, get prepared, get involved...I know I will. Better this than waiting for lawyers to hash it out years from now. Am I the only one that feels this way? Optimism is refreshing even if it's unfounded. If this merger is a case of out-of-the-frying-pan-and-into-the-fire I'd rather be tap dancing on the top of the flames than burning away into a cinder.
