If it is all the same to you, I'd prefer to do it right here so that the Delta guys who are interested can hear the history as well.
So let's begin. In 1986 Northwest Airlines and Republic Airlines had roughly the same number of pilots. Northwest fleet consisted of 747-400, 747-200, DC-10, 757, and 727. Republic fleet consisted of 757, 727 and a very large number of DC-9's. NWA purchased Republic for 880 million in cash for 100% of the company's shares. Pre merger price of Republic stock was 4 dollars per share. Purchase price was 16 dollars per share.
Between 1969 and 1979 Republic hired over 1200 pilots. In that same time frame Northwest hired none. Republic's merger proposal was date of hire which would have put 1200 pilots senior to every Northwest pilot hired after 1979. Northwest's merger proposal was a rather complex ratio that would have put a number of Republic pilots with earlier hire dates behind Northwest pilots with later hire dates.
The arbitrator's decision was short and to the point:
The list was straight date of hire. (Personal thought: prior to the merger, my seniority number was about 1200. After the seniority integration, my new number was 3750 even though we both had roughly the same number of pilots. When I saw my new number I actually had to sit down because I felt ill). The arbitrator's decision continued:
Due to the vast imbalances created with a date of hire list, conditions and restrictions are included. A snapshot of each airline's fleet was taken and a certain number of pre-merger seats were protected as follows:
1. Certain pre-merger NWA pilot seats were protected to be bid only by Northwest pilots for 20 years. Any growth above the protected seats will be shared on a 1 for 1 basis for 20 years.
2. Certain pre-merger Republic pilot seats were protected to be bid only by Republic pilots for 20 years. Any growth above the protected seats will be shared on a 1 for 1 basis for 20 years.
3. No bump - No flush protections.
And that was it.
My progression to my position today happened about 2 years later than the projections showed would have happened without a merger. Due to the subsequent purchase of additional wide body aircraft by NWA after the merger and the requisite growth sharing, over 500 former Republic pilots have retired as Captains on the 747, DC-10 or A330. When the 20 year fence came down in 2006, the top 400 pilots on the NWA seniority list were former Republic pilots. Today the top 229 pilots on the NWA seniority list are former Republic pilots.
All of the above are the dry facts (except for my parenthetical views). A lexus/nexus search for the arbitration award of Judge Thomas Roberts will yield the award for you to read for yourself.
This should get the discussion started if anyone is interested.
Carl