Captain Tom,
If you would like a more complete picture of how USAPA thinks that they can ignore the Nicolau award go to you tube and search for USAPA. Look at the videos titled can’t take the heat, USAPA in the desert part 4.
There are about 15 parts to the videos. They are from the one and only time that USAPA bothered to come to the largest base in the system. Since then they have sent three correspondences. The first not a welcome letter but a threat to pay up or be terminated. The second a copy of the contract section telling us to pay or be terminated. The third an estimated bill to pay or be terminated.
Enjoy the videos. I hope the link works if not just search you tube for USAPA.
Yes, Captain Tom,
By all means, take Cleardirect's advice and observe the decorum of some of those West pilots in attendance at this meeting. IMHO, if I were a west pilot, I would be thoroughly ashamed of the behavior displayed in these You Tube postings. I remain hopeful that this lack of professionalism is not indicative of the majority of the west pilots.
The west pilot group has been encouraged not only by the interim officers of USAPA but by many of the east posters on this forum to become involved and help formulate the direction of USAPA. Sadly, from what I've read, any west pilot who has been willing to step forward to give input on behalf of the west group, has been threatened by his very own fellow pilots.
USAPA has stated numerous times that they will protect everyone's flying. While DOH is the foundation upon which the new list has been formulated, it carries with it conditions and restrictions to protect everyone’s position as was brought to this merger. Notwithstanding the newly announced furloughs which no one in their right mind should be happy about, the ops are still separate and the two seniority lists are still separate, therefore the company is furloughing from each group (east and west) according to their projected needs.
The fact that Nicolau placed heavy weight on "career expectations", a west pilot with 4 years LOS was placed in front of a never furloughed 20 year pilot, which in our opinion is not only a windfall to the west, but a travesty to those east pilots so affected. Career Expectations, which can be as fleeting as a moment in time, is elusive at best, and sadly, while it may be a consideration, so should have DOH.
A pilot's "seniority" is virtually all the east pilots have left in the wake of 9-11, the industry downturns, the numerous BK filings, the termination of pensions. The east pilots are simply not willing to allow their seniority to be decimated. Period.