USAirways: Laid-Off Pilots: Go to end of list

derg

Apparently a "terse" writer
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Laid-off pilots: Go to end of list
Nov. 9, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
Afshin Iranpour has been laid off once by US Airways, after 9/11. Now he's scheduled to go through it again.

The big difference this time: He's a pilot for the former America West, the airline that merged with his ex-employer in 2005.

That gives him a unique perspective - and strong opinions- about the issues behind the bitter battle. He is one of six pilots who filed a lawsuit against the airline's new union and the company in September to stop the furloughs and find the new pilots' union guilty of not fairly representing the former America West pilots.

Iranpour, who joined America West in 2004, doesn't think it's fair that any of the pilots on furlough from the old US Airways at the time of the merger and since recalled get to leapfrog America West pilots such as himself under certain seniority systems.

Ironically, Iranpour says he would not be facing a layoff early next year if he had accepted a recall offer in summer 2007 from the new US Airways and headed back East to fly. He had been gone from the old US Airways for six years at that point, but the layoffs were governed by date of hire of the pilot per each airline's existing contract.

"I never ever believed that I had a right to come in as a furloughed employee who hadn't contributed anything to the company for years, to come in and bump so many guys on the West that have been working here full time for the past six years," he said.

Iranpour, who turns 39 Tuesday, admits his America West seniority is better than his old US Airways seniority under a merged seniority list drawn up by a federal arbitrator and believed by the America West pilots to binding.

He said he is fundamentally opposed to a combined list that puts US Airways workers out of a job at the time of the merger ahead of America West pilots.

"We took on the risks, and I think we should get the rewards," he said.

The arbitrator generally agreed with his and others' stance about the furloughed workers and put them at the bottom of the seniority list.

Iranpour finds it incredulous that pilots from the old US Airways are trying to overturn that decision through the new union. He said it was a no-brainer for the East pilots to push for date of hire at the outset of arbitration because their airline is so much older than America West.

"But for them to stick to it all the way through, and then after arbitration to try and fight it and throw it out, is just mind-boggling to me," he said.
 
Whaaaaa!! Friggin cry baby. Just because you gave up your seniority at Airways, now your crying in your milk that you have to get furloughed because of the decision you made to go to America West.

Seniority should be merged by date of hire, not by who was on furlough or not.
 
Airdale, by all means, if you feel that strongly, take a stroll in the concourse in PHX and tell one that.

It's simple, with the anonymity of the internet, to say things like "crybaby" or phrases like "crying in your milk" but this a very emotional and difficult issue for the east and west.

Trust me. We're in the midst of a seniority list integration here at Southernjets too and don't ever....ever ever ever EVER think it can't happen to you, or even how you'll feel about it when it does.

Primarily why I'm trying to pay close attention and learn from others.
 
Whaaaaa!! Friggin cry baby. Just because you gave up your seniority at Airways, now your crying in your milk that you have to get furloughed because of the decision you made to go to America West.

Seniority should be merged by date of hire, not by who was on furlough or not.

You should really do some more research before you start saying things like this. For starters, read the Nicolau award in its entirety. I have a copy if you want it. Anyone that reads that award and still thinks the integration was unfair is lacking a significant number of brain cells.
 
I do find this guy's particular case sort of ironic. He turned down recall to the east side because his position on a merged list down the road would be better if he held on to his spot on the west despite the fact he had more relative longevity at his old east seniority position, but the plan backfired because he got furloughed before the list actually merged.

In many cases I do feel bad for the west guys and what they have to deal with, but in this particular case, I have to say, this guy rolled the dice and lost.
 
Airdale, by all means, if you feel that strongly, take a stroll in the concourse in PHX and tell one that.

It's simple, with the anonymity of the internet, to say things like "crybaby" or phrases like "crying in your milk" but this a very emotional and difficult issue for the east and west.

Trust me. We're in the midst of a seniority list integration here at Southernjets too and don't ever....ever ever ever EVER think it can't happen to you, or even how you'll feel about it when it does.

Primarily why I'm trying to pay close attention and learn from others.

Just asking for a hunch from you. On a scale of 1-10, with one being "everything is rosy" and ten being "AWA/USAPA we are all going to hell" - how would you rate the NWA/DAL SLI process? Where on that scale do you think it will end up?
 
You know, it's been pretty quiet.

But all I've got to say is "Highly Coveted Super Premium" -- the NWA and DAL guys will know what I'm talking about! :) And it doesn't involve the process, or how it's going, just what someone said in their deposition.

Each side pretty much wants something else. I'm of the school of thought that I have the seniority of a junior narrowbody captain on the 737 and MD-88/90 and a senior widebody international first officer. I should pretty much end up where I am now on my current seniority list on the combined "Rhymes with Schmelta"/"Rhymes with Schnorthwest" senioritiy list.

Of course, you have loud radicals (in the minority) on either extreme ranging from "Yer the BRIDE ya bloody Viking!" to "Date O' Hire or I'm burning Moak in effigy back in Lake Wobegon" on the other.
 
Should we go back and quote all of your posts regarding Q400 training at Colgan and say the same thing? I have a feeling you wouldn't like it too much.
That was exactly what I was thinking! I can't believe him out of all people.
 
Doug-

When will the results of the arbitrator's decision be posted? I know you guys also have the possibility of negotiating a list between now and the decision, but when is the whole thing final?
 
Doug-

When will the results of the arbitrator's decision be posted? I know you guys also have the possibility of negotiating a list between now and the decision, but when is the whole thing final?


December 20th 2008. And a very Merry Christmas to all of us.





Unless the MECs give them another extention......
 
I'm far from serious about this but it seems the only way to resolve the merger is to have everyone draw a number from a hat and that's your seniority spot for better or for worse....Because these guys are NEVER gonna resolve the merger and they are putting the job security of all Airways folk from the most senior Mainline pilot to the most junior wholly owned lav guy at risk. I'm sick of it..and most of them are too..It seems there is only a handful of guys keeping this fight going...sooner or later someone is gonna have to give up something...
 
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