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On 6/25/2003 11
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40 AM Buck wrote:
You guys amaze me, American may be guilty of labor violations, I really do not know. However it is the the unions representing you collectively that have brought about the conditions of employment. It will be the TWU that decides (for the mechanics) how this closure is handled, if there is any truth to the rumor at all. I have been with American (TWU) 19 years and I believe out of experience, that the Kasher decesion as written will not be the final say. I could be wrong, but I believe that if the MCI base is closed that the Kasher decesion will be modified to accomodate what is best for the TWU and not American Airlines. Will the Kasher decesion be ammended? I believe it will. But of course this is all my speculation....
AirCal the mechanics were "Dovetailed" because they were already TWU.
Reno the mechanics were awarded all of their union seniority, which was none.
What is AA doing now? Hard to say.
But the hypothetical question I have is: If MCI is closed, the work is moved to TUL, a large number of former TWA mechanics bump to other stations, how will the seniority be handled?
Will those bumped at the the last reduction in force be called back first?
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Following Up: Although being in Canada, there is a possiblity of a similar decesion with the mechanics.........
Air Canada pilots stuck with ruling
Industrial relations board backs controversial decision on seniority
Friday, June 27, 2003
TORONTO -- An arbitrator's controversial ruling that amends the seniority list among Air Canada's pilots to the advantage of former employees at Canadian Airlines will be allowed to stand, the chairman of the Canada Industrial Relations Board ruled yesterday.
Paul Lordon's decision marks a victory for the former Canadian pilots, who will see their upgrade remain intact while the company undergoes a crucial equipment-bid process.
Under that process, pilots bid on which aircraft they want to fly or on which routes they want to operate. In the event of ties, seniority determines who gets which jobs. The bid process concludes on Monday.
However, Mr. Lordon said the board will conduct a "limited review" of the award after the union representing all the pilots, the Air Canada Pilots Association, figures out the issues on which the two rival sides share disagreements.
"The parties themselves have to become involved," Mr. Lordon told a packed hearing, where about 200 pilots were in attendance.
"Time is of the essence in this matter."
It was not clear what affect the CIRB decision will have on how pilots vote on their tentative collective agreement with the company.
Voting ends on Monday, and there is concern pilots will reject the deal out of frustration with the seniority ruling.
"It's time for some finality on this," Mr. Lordon said.
Steve Waller, a lawyer for the original Air Canada pilots, said that as a result of the new seniority list -- determined by arbitrator Brian Keller -- some of his clients would see their pay cut by as much as 40 per cent and they would bear the brunt of pending layoffs as Air Canada restructures. For example, of 143 pending job cuts, 124 will come from the ranks of original Air Canada pilots.
"We want a final result we can live with, and we know we can't live with the Keller result," Mr. Waller said.
The seniority dispute has been around since Air Canada and Canadian Airlines merged in January 2000. Prior to the Keller award, the company had been working on a seniority list devised by another arbitrator -- which the Canadian pilots said worked to their disadvantage.
A lawyer for Air Canada, Brian Burkett, said the CIRB needed to act quickly because Air Canada is fighting for its survival.
"That doesn't mean fairness is discarded, but expedition is the order of the day," Mr. Burkett said.
He added that it is crucial that the seniority issue does not get linked with the company's tentative collective agreement, which must be ratified by Monday as part of the airline's restructuring.
"It is essential that there is no linkage," Mr. Burkett said. "This is a serious problem at a crucial stage for Air Canada."
© Copyright 2003 The Ottawa Citizen