nycbusdriver
Veteran
snapthis said:
Why bother with that? Waste of time and money.
The US pilots have no beef with eventually becoming APA members. Membership drive?? YHGTBSM, APA!
2014 Pilot Discussion
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Why bother with that? Waste of time and money.
The US pilots have no beef with eventually becoming APA members. Membership drive?? YHGTBSM, APA!
Zone5
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- Dec 17, 2010
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I'm guessing that the West is going to mount an APA membership drive, anyone willing to buy a $675 tie will surely not blink an eye at paying dues to two unions simultaneously (in addition to AOL contributions), but it still won't "buy" them a seat at the table! Oh well.nycbusdriver said:
When the APA is "The Union" I will join, until then, I have a Union and so does the West, like it or not. Did I miss the part where the AOL is participating in the JCBA process? I don't think so.
In light of the financial results posted by the company since the merger, I predict that we will end up with arguably the best overall contract in the industry. The West chief concern and most likely the only one, the SLI, will be completely OBE, in other words the SLI concerns will be totally overcome by the terms of the new contract. The West will end up with what they brought to the merger and will be well compensated for it. I think the West should also have first right of refusal (for some period of time) for the PHX flying.
seajay
luvthe9
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- Aug 30, 2002
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snapthis said:I'm sure they told you anything you wanted to hear to stop annoying them.
Think back to not too long ago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOLxQGLJouI
Not at all, but they are very amused at all your childish videos, they all agree no jumping in line, sorry Tony.
snapthis
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- Dec 23, 2009
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Zone5 said:
It's time for a review, now pay attention...
Seniority Integration Protocol: The Facts
posted on June 23, 2014 17:23
Seniority Integration Protocol: The Facts
You may have seen APA's seniority integration protocol proposal last week and a subsequent USAPA Merger Committee blast accusing the APA Seniority Integration Committee of blindsiding them with a "regressive" proposal. Although we have been patient in an attempt to forge an acceptable agreement, it is now time to set the record straight on some of the misrepresentations contained in the USAPA Merger Committee blast.
To be blunt, USAPA's version of events is fiction. USAPA leadership specifically and directly solicited this latest protocol proposal from the Seniority Integration Committee. USAPA's merger counsel was also briefed on the likely content of the protocol document several days before receipt. USAPA's abject failure to communicate these facts erodes the very foundation of trust necessary for any further negotiations. It is now apparent to us, just as it was to Judge Silver in the Addington v. USAPA DFR decision, that USAPA is using these tactics, including reneging on its bargain under the MOU and litigating the McCaskill-Bond process in court, with the express goal of delaying the NMB single-carrier finding.
Last week, before we passed our latest protocol proposal, APA Vice President FO Neil Roghair was invited to speak at USAPA domicile meetings in Charlotte and Philadelphia. The APA talking points were simple:
- APA wants a smooth and amicable integration with the pilots of US Airways.
- APA is committed to the process that we all agreed to and ratified in the MOU.
- APA will take its duty of fair representation to all American Airlines pilots seriously.
- Obligating APA to pay post-single carrier USAPA bills, including costs of its current headquarters
- Maintaining USAPA's independent operation authority throughout the JCBA and SLI process
- Paying for ongoing litigation expenses in Addington and any subsequent DFR cases
- Recognizing USAPA as a party to the protocol agreement even after USAPA ceases to be the certified bargaining representative (contrary to its own position in the Addington litigation, the judge's ruling in that case and the specific language of the MOU)
As FO Roghair stated, APA does not take its duty of fair representation lightly. Contrary to USAPA's assertions otherwise, and at their suggestion, APA has proposed that the West pilots be afforded the opportunity to petition a neutral arbitrator for the right to a separate and independent merger committee in the seniority integration process. USAPA, the company and APA would have the right to object or support a West merger committee. The arbitrator would then rule on the issue, and the process would move forward based on the arbitrator's final and binding decision on the West merger committee's status.
At the CLT meeting, a member of the USAPA Merger Committee briefed those in attendance on why the committee found the prospect of a separate West merger committee acceptable. And, upon hearing APA's proposal, the USAPA secretary-treasurer remarked that this proposal came directly from USAPA. This highlights that the USAPA Merger Committee's blast, dated June 20, 2014, is entirely inconsistent with statements made by USAPA leadership to APA.
The USAPA national officers specifically requested that APA disregard the USAPA transition and settlement proposals and present a "seniority protocol only" proposal to USAPA so that we can all point to a seniority integration proposal that represents the path forward. Thus, we made our protocol proposal last week at USAPA's specific request. It could not have surprised them.
Regardless of the circumstances that resulted in APA's passing the protocol document, the proposal was fully consistent with requests and understandings agreed to by USAPA's leadership and communicated to pilots at the CLT and PHL meetings. It meets every legitimate "ask" from USAPA in the seniority protocol. Among other things:
- The proposal guaranteed that the USAPA Merger Committee would continue in its current form after APA becomes the single bargaining representative. The USAPA committee would remain completely autonomous, and APA would formally agree not to interfere with its staffing, decision-making, operations or funding. Who gives direction to that committee is not within APA's control.
- The proposal accepted USAPA's position that APA not have the unilateral right to appoint a West merger committee but the West pilots be required to seek representation through final and binding arbitration.
- The proposal accepted USAPA's procedure for the selection of the seniority Arbitration Board.
- While the proposal provided that the company and APA would be the only parties to the protocol after APA becomes the single bargaining representative — which is consistent with the RLA and the duty of fair representation and has always been APA's position — APA would formally commit that it had no legal authority to make any modification to the protected status of the USAPA Merger Committee.
The day after our counsel transmitted the protocol proposal, the USAPA Merger Committee released its blast to USAPA membership, in which they claimed our proposal blindsided them and was unacceptable and regressive. They listed five points of deep concern.
- Their first four points object to APA suggesting that everyone follow the process spelled out in MOU paragraph 10 — the process approved 11-0 by the USAPA Board of Pilot Representatives and ratified by three-quarters of the USAPA membership. USAPA's position that complying with a signed agreement (the MOU) is somehow optional can only be described as beyond the pale. At no time did USAPA suggest that any other party to the MOU could unilaterally disregard its provisions.
- The fifth point of objection is that APA is asserting the right to change and control their merger committee. That is false. The very premise of our protocol proposal is that the merger committees, including specifically the USAPA Merger Committee, will be autonomous and independent after the certification of a single bargaining representative. While APA will be the bargaining representative and will not formally agree to USAPA party status, USAPA may continue as an organization, with a board and national officers, albeit at their own expense.
The APA Seniority Integration Committee made our proposal public for simple reasons. The proposal reflects every commitment we have made to USAPA with regard to the seniority integration process and contradicts false assertions being made by USAPA in an effort to delay a single-carrier finding by the NMB. It is time to agree to a protocol before this affects the ability of APA and USAPA to move forward in areas of mutual interest, such as the JCBA.
Please forward this email to every US Airways pilot you know and tell them that APA is committed to the fair process that we all signed up for.
Posted in: Information Hotline
luvthe9 said:
Correct, there will be no jumping in line no matter how hard you try.
nycbusdriver
Veteran
Zone5 said:
Truer words have not been written on this forum.
Phoenix
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Snap quoted APA:
"Contrary to USAPA's assertions otherwise, and at their suggestion, APA has proposed that the West pilots be afforded the opportunity to petition a neutral arbitrator for the right to a separate and independent merger committee in the seniority integration process."
Really, Snap? Really?
"Contrary to USAPA's assertions otherwise, and at their suggestion, APA has proposed that the West pilots be afforded the opportunity to petition a neutral arbitrator for the right to a separate and independent merger committee in the seniority integration process."
Really, Snap? Really?
snapthis
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- Dec 23, 2009
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Phoenix said:
Yes, really.
Here is the link to the APA's website:
https://public.alliedpilots.org/apa/AboutAPA/APAPublicNews/tabid/843/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/4608/Seniority-Integration-Protocol-The-Facts.aspx
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