Dallas Dude,
I like your reasoning, but there again it is favourable to me. The reason Exeng is asking this (in case you don't know) is that BA have recently decided to 'merge' (I use the term loosely) their European Operations at Gatwick (EOG) with one of their wholly owned subsidiaries CityFlyer. Unfortunately for EOG they have been the victims of some very creative accounting and bad management and the scapegoat is 'terms and conditions'. Therefore, the plan is to 'streamline' the operation.
The original plan was to transfer loss making routes (under EOG) to CityFlyer, as we have a history of making them profitable. This was rejected by the (EOG)pilots and unions as it was percieved to be the thin end of a massive wedge, which it probably was!
As this avenue was closed off to them, BA management was/is hoping to circumvent the pilots and unions by proposing a 'merger'. Their idea of a merger is to incorporate operations and administration to prevent unneccesaary duplication of certain departments, BUT to keep us (pilots and cabin crew) on a seperate pay and conditions deal.
This IS the thin end of a very large wedge as it doesn't take a wall street analyst to see that long term conditions for the EOG crews is under threat, not to mention for new recruits.
So, the situation we have is that EOG do not want us to be on a 'B' scale because it may undermine their pay and conditions in the medium to long term. (EOG have just spent the last nine years aquiring mainline status with regards to P&C) However, there is resistance to the merging of seniority lists on the grounds that some of the pilots at CFE have about 9 years seniority.
I think that most of us can appreciate that our expectations at CFE are not matched by those at BA and so a date of joining merger would seem to be a little unfair. However, when you look at the numbers involved - maybe up to 20 with over 4 years seniority - the displacement is not all that much.
Those with most to lose would be anyone with under two years seniority at BA. Out of 200 pilots fifty would have to go for reasons of age or pension/legal considerations, being that they are ex-employees and are receiving pension payments from BA.
The point is that we are a profitable company and are being merged for reasons known only to management. As I said, the scapegoat is T&C but in reality we make money for reasons such as that we pay £400 for British Midland to turn our aircraft around and BA charge THEMSELVES £1400; our aircraft work 16 hours a day and theirs work 10-12, and so on.
I woudn't consider it fair to walk in with my full 4 years seniority ahead of guys who are as blameless as me about this. However, I do think that I should have some credit for for those four years even if it is on a 2 for 1 basis.