Alpa Code-a-phone 9/8/04

[BoeingBoy]

This is Jack Stephan with a US Airways MEC update for Wednesday, September 8th, with one new item.

In a statement to the media yesterday, MEC Chairman Bill Pollock offered the following:

“I am disappointed that our pilots were not given the opportunity to vote on the latest proposal before the MEC. I believe that only minor changes in the final proposals could have been exchanged at this time and that those changes would not have altered the economics of the proposal that was before the MEC. I also believe that the proposal contained protections that may not be available at a later time.

“While ALPA has been committed since February of this year to engage in a plan to restore our airline to profitability, the negotiations with US Airways management are in recess, and it is unknown at this time whether and when talks will resume.â€￾

This afternoon Captain Pollock will be preparing a webcast that will be available soon on the pilots only home page. In this broadcast, Capt. Pollock discusses the recent MEC meeting and the roll call vote that prevented the latest Company proposal from going to the membership for a vote. He also discusses the ramifications of not having an agreement should the Company file for bankruptcy, including losing the protections that were available in the Company’s last proposal. In response to recent Company statements and media reports concerning the hiring of bankruptcy counsel by US Airways, we will be providing you with further bankruptcy information shortly on the pilots only home page.

Should the status of negotiations change, we will inform you immediately via the code a phone, pilots only home page, and ALPA Fastread.

Please remember we have 1,879 pilots on furlough.

Thank you for listening.

 

[supercruiser]

It's truly amazing that Hawaiian Airlines who has been in bankruptcy for the last 16 months, and UAL 20 months since filing Ch 11, are still around. I mean they didn't have any 1113 letters prior to entering Ch 11, haven't had their contracts abrogated by the bankruptcy judge, haven’t had the AWA or jetBlue pay and working conditions rammed down their throats, and STILL have their pensions intact.

In fact the bankruptcy judge in the UAL case recently chastised the management and ordered them to make peace with the unions or else. The pilots were also represented by ALPA, presumably with some of the same advisors. It is also amazing that the other union advisors at US Airways are not frantically urging their members to get a deal and an 1113 letter at seemingly any cost.

Current airlines in Ch 11 and the previous Ch 11 filing at US Airways, conclusively show that an 1113 letter neither prevents a bankruptcy filing nor truly protects any group in the event of such filing.

supercruiser

 

[Bohica]

It also appears that those much ballyhooed protections that everyone is so concerned about would only be for the first 60 days of the bankruptcy period.

You really have to be kidding if you think any concessions will improve anything. The company is going to live or die, and this round of negotiations actually has about zero to do with it.

BOHICA

 

[oldiebutgoody]

You know why this company is failing? Because of a REALLY STUPID business plan put together by Siegel and friends without even talking to the unions about what was possible. Then, to continue to fight with the hired help, rather than actually run an airline. If they were smart (which they have proven that they aren't) they'd sit down, come up with a business plan involving fewer high dollar RJs and more cheaper mainline jets, which are already on the property and even have crews trained to fly them. Then, they'd stuff a sock into Bronner's mouth and get his telephones disconnected so that he can't ruin revenue with any more loose cannon speak. That would be a good start!