AA Pilot Management vs. AA Pilot Union

[jimntx]

Story in Star-Telegram

Evidently, Chief Pilot Hale has written a letter directly to each and every AA pilot trying to get them to agree to certain work rule concessions, etc. to mitigate the shortage of pilots due to the high retirement numbers the past two months.

A quote from the article...

The Allied Pilots Association, who represents the pilots, didn't take kindly to Hale's letter and in their own hotline to pilots said the union has yet to take a position on the proposal.

"Overwhelmingly, our pilots have asked that APA refrain from negotiating any side letters of agreement and to focus on securing a new collective bargaining agreement," APA said in the hotline. "In accordance with our members’ stated preferences, that is where our focus remains and where we recommend Captain Hale direct his energies, rather than attempting to engage our pilots in direct negotiations."

Good on the APA. Just tell them, we will be happy to fly extra hours in return for a new contract. Pay rates for the new a/c that have been ordered? Put them on page 1 of the new contract.

 

[Mach85ER]

"In 2006, management asked the union for a side letter that would allow American pilots fly the ultra-long Dallas/Fort Worth-Beijing, China route. The union responded with a list of demands that it offered in exchange for its approval.

In that case, American responded that the things the union was seeking should be addressed in regular contract talks, called "Section 6" talks per the Railway Labor Act. In that case, neither side budged and American didn't get the D/FW-Beijing route.- Dallas Morning News"


APA is only following management's lead

 

[TIME FOR CHANGE]

Give them the gift of ZERO

 

[jimntx]

I can just see the press releases now. "Due to the unreasonable intransigence of the AA pilots and their union, the APA, American Airlines has been forced to cancel a number of International flights due to lack of cockpit crews. We regret this action, but we have no other choice because the pilots are refusing to work."

I doubt the press releases will mention anything about the company's years of failure to bargain in good faith while awarding continuing bonusses to the executives. (I'm not judgin'. I'm just sayin'.)

 

[Hopeful]

I can just see the press releases now. "Due to the unreasonable intransigence of the AA pilots and their union, the APA, American Airlines has been forced to cancel a number of International flights due to lack of cockpit crews. We regret this action, but we have no other choice because the pilots are refusing to work."

I doubt the press releases will mention anything about the company's years of failure to bargain in good faith while awarding continuing bonusses to the executives. (I'm not judgin'. I'm just sayin'.)

Hence, the company will will win any PR campaign...Not that it should matter to the workers, but that's the trend these days to bash unions and paint them as greedy and unrealistic...and the main reason for all corporate woes.....
But of course, executives get a pass,,,

 

[Ifly2]

APA INFORMATION HOTLINE

This is APA President Captain Dave Bates with the APA Information Hotline for Friday, October 7.
WHAT’S NEXT: The past few days have clearly been eventful for APA and American Airlines, beginning with Monday’s dramatic volatility in the trading volume and price of AMR shares. In discussions with Wall Street analysts and in a public statement on Monday evening, APA clarified the reasons behind pilots’ individual retirement decisions, including uncertain market conditions, the retirement backlog due to the change in mandatory retirement age and the mechanics of our pilots’ B Plan look-back provision. Wall Street analysts have attributed the Monday sell-off to a combination of rumor and speculation fueled by the recent increase in pilot retirements and an article in the Monday edition of The Wall Street Journal.
During the week, I attended domicile meetings at LGA, SAN and SNA and would like to thank all those who attended and for your feedback. Meanwhile, APA and management engaged in intensive negotiations, with pilot pay one of the areas of discussion. APA’s negotiators made no secret of our unhappiness with a pay concept—not a formal pay proposal—that management presented during the talks and reiterated the importance of bringing our pilots a tentative agreement that they will ratify.
Along with participating directly in negotiations this week for the first time, I also met with AMR Chairman and CEO Gerard Arpey, AMR President Tom Horton and American Airlines Senior Vice President-Human Resources Jeff Brundage yesterday. This meeting took place at senior management’s request. APA Vice President First Officer Tony Chapman and I discussed a range of issues with the three executives and used the opportunity to emphasize the importance of concluding pilot negotiations. While recent attention has focused on management’s request for contractual relief to mitigate pilot retirements, there’s no question that an overall agreement with the carrier’s pilots would have a much greater positive impact on our airline’s prospects. Simply put, American Airlines and its pilots would benefit from an agreement that is good for the pilots and good for the airline.
APA and management will re-engage at the bargaining table next week and we will continue to keep you updated as developments warrant. Please note that APA’s headquarters office will be closed on Monday, Oct. 10 for the Columbus Day holiday and will reopen at 8 a.m. Central on Tuesday, Oct. 11.
That’s it for now. Thanks for checking this hotline

 

[WorldTraveler]

Good to see that Arpey is involved in the pilot talks - but wonder if that is motivated by a recognition that the early retirements could cause alot of operational problems in the near term.
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The APA is right not to agree to side letters at this point and push instead for a full contract.
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These types of pilot shortages have happened before and can affect revenue but AA mgmt should be putting together contingency plans to work around the problems even now.
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I'm not sure how much these current retirements are effecting the AA operation but there is nothing in the press if they are. If AA is flying reserves and other pilots are picking up trips to alleviate the shortages now, it would seem that it will be harder to avoid problems later in the year when pilots begin running out of time.... of course some might be glad to work now in return for not being around the airports during the winter holidays.
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The APA should be prepared to counter the image in the press that AA pilots are not working w/ the company - since it would seem if there is an impact to be felt, it will come later in the year.
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Glad the AA pilots have something that might help accelerate a resolution....let's hope the problem can't be just swept under the rug leaving the underlying contract issues resolved.
I am betting that AA is seeking resolution w/ its pilots first and then will build the rest of its labor agreeements based on what it obtains from its pilots.

 

[Bob Owens]

"In 2006, management asked the union for a side letter that would allow American pilots fly the ultra-long Dallas/Fort Worth-Beijing, China route. The union responded with a list of demands that it offered in exchange for its approval.

In that case, American responded that the things the union was seeking should be addressed in regular contract talks, called "Section 6" talks per the Railway Labor Act. In that case, neither side budged and American didn't get the D/FW-Beijing route.- Dallas Morning News"


APA is only following management's lead

Well I guess they figured it works with the TWU so why not the pilots.
In 2001 the company requested the assistance of the TWU in lobbying for a bailout, the TWU complied.
In 2002 the TWU requested lobbying assistance from AA in extending unemployment benefits for workers laid off because of 9-11, the company refused.

In 2009 the company requested assistance to lobby for Anti-Trust immunity with their code share partners , the TWU complied.
In 2011 the company allows code share partners to hire their own Ramp workers from 3P providers instead of TWU.


In 2010 the company wanted to lower the experience requirements for Line Maintenance to ZERO in order to settle a grievance, the TWU complied.

The APA is doing things the right way, if the union gives the company everything they want outside of negotiations why would they think the companys expectations would change in negotiations?

 

[FrequentFlierCA]

Under the Hill regime the APA torpedoed a potentially lucrative route in DFW-PEK. I had hoped those kind of games were behind the union, but maybe not.

Frankly there's no reason not to do a side agreement if it benefits everyone, which this would. What use is it to pilots if the airline shrinks and shrinks? Less flying equals less wages.

 

[eolesen]

No, on the issue of side letters, I agree. Get it in the contract. At one point there were what seemed like 25 or 30 side agreements to the fleet service contract, and it was a pain in the *** to figure out what really applied at times.

 

[Mach85ER]

Under the Hill regime the APA torpedoed a potentially lucrative route in DFW-PEK. I had hoped those kind of games were behind the union, but maybe not.

Frankly there's no reason not to do a side agreement if it benefits everyone, which this would. What use is it to pilots if the airline shrinks and shrinks? Less flying equals less wages.

Try not to post under the influence of alcohol or model airplane glue. Seriously, what you assert is beyond ridiculous and uninformed to the maximum extent possible.

DFW-PEK had zero chance against UAL offering a 747-400 to the nation's capitol with Obama as the new President. Arpey knew it after his DC visit and the only gain out of the deal was a jab at the pilots courtesy of the advice of Jeff Brundage.

As for the current situation. AA management has deflected the criticism that they have known about this possible issue for years, and the fact that when you kick your employees in the teeth for such a long period of time, they will get little cooperation when they need the help of everybody from top to bottom.

FF, the current problem is a non-event and miniscule compared to management's complete and utter failure to compete. When Delta started their NYC expansion, we all said to AA to get with the program and compete, we are going to fall behind them. Arpey and crew poo-pooed the DAL expansion and added more RJ flying. When we said add flying and run the airline, they said "we don't care if (IB/BA) do the flying as long it's a codeshare". So AA counts BA and IB flights as their own while BA says "not thanks" to codeshare service from EZE to LHR through MIA and decides to service the route themselves.

And you can't figure out why the pilots are pi$$ed.

 

[FWAAA]

Try not to post under the influence of alcohol or model airplane glue. Seriously, what you assert is beyond ridiculous and uninformed to the maximum extent possible.

DFW-PEK had zero chance against UAL offering a 747-400 to the nation's capitol with Obama as the new President. Arpey knew it after his DC visit and the only gain out of the deal was a jab at the pilots courtesy of the advice of Jeff Brundage.

Agree with your summary of the ridiculous DFW-PEK application with AA's attempted modification of its application to DFW-ORD-PEK, except for one thing: It was late 2006, early 2007; Bush was still President. Other than that, I agree.

LAX and JFK have more O&D than DFW - either would be a better choice than DFW.

 

[Mach85ER]

Agree with your summary of the ridiculous DFW-PEK application with AA's attempted modification of its application to DFW-ORD-PEK, except for one thing: It was late 2006, early 2007; Bush was still President. Other than that, I agree.

LAX and JFK have more O&D than DFW - either would be a better choice than DFW.

Too little sleep. Fact checker in my brain was distorted. I think it was a political payoff to Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert for Chicago based UAL and Dem' DC and Repub VA. Plano and Arlington had zero chance.

 

[chris perry]

No, on the issue of side letters, I agree. Get it in the contract. At one point there were what seemed like 25 or 30 side agreements to the fleet service contract, and it was a pain in the *** to figure out what really applied at times.

Side letter's are what brought on alot of mistrust at AA....