Merger waits as pilots putter over seniority puzzle
Wednesday, March 05, 2008 at 6:19 pm
- 2 Comments
The Northwest-Delta airline merger remains in a holding pattern as pilots from the two carriers try to mesh seniority systems. Such pecking order problems are as old as the stars; what’s new this time is that management wants the pilots’ seniority puzzle solved before they ink a deal. “The absence of consultations with … labor groups has not stopped management flying solo in the past,” notes Carl Finamore in Counterpunch. “What’s different now?” His answer: nervous investors don’t want contract impasses that linger 28 months as with the US Airways/America West merger.
Older Northwest pilots, some still stinging from the seniority shuffle after the airline’s merger with Republic, don’t want to find themselves outranked by younger pilots from Delta, whose seniority leapfrogged when older pilots there took buyouts during bankruptcy. Recent reports indicate the sides aren’t talking and don’t have a deadline. “Pilots are attempting to reach a pact in a few weeks on a matter that can take years to resolve,” writes Ted Reed at TheStreet.com, adding this insight from a union exec: “In a successful seniority integration, everybody is pissed off.”
2 Comments
Comment posted March 6, 2008 @ 11:04 am
Who in yonder airport terminal waits? Lo, it is the Passenger… Carl Fenimore’s “Why the Delta-Northwest Deal hasn’t taken off” says it all, in one summing-up paragraph”, from Counterpunch:
“The example of Delta-NWA management stepping back from their deal reveals nervous investors have heard labor’s warning. But it is likely this is only a temporary lull in their attempts to squeeze enormous profits from downsized carriers with fewer aircraft stuffed with more passengers being charged higher prices.”
“…stuffed with more passengers” must make any frequent flyers out there feeling like ignored commodity I betcha.
So do the trains still run on time?
Comment posted March 6, 2008 @ 5:04 am
Who in yonder airport terminal waits? Lo, it is the Passenger… Carl Fenimore's “Why the Delta-Northwest Deal hasn't taken off” says it all, in one summing-up paragraph”, from Counterpunch:
“The example of Delta-NWA management stepping back from their deal reveals nervous investors have heard labor's warning. But it is likely this is only a temporary lull in their attempts to squeeze enormous profits from downsized carriers with fewer aircraft stuffed with more passengers being charged higher prices.”
“…stuffed with more passengers” must make any frequent flyers out there feeling like ignored commodity I betcha.
So do the trains still run on time?
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