ALPA/USAPA/Pilot Labor Thread for the week 4/12-4/19

[lynyrdskynyrd]

COMMENT DELETED BY MODERATOR

Perhaps those darn liberals, after numerous failed exams, graduated you anyway from grade school but you might wish to read the court documents about that "broad". I believe her award was mainly due to the harassment visited on her by McDonald's. Funny, if McDonalds had not harassed her she would not have gotten anything, but then, you must be blissful.

Relax, your blood pressure will return to normal.

 

[ChuckBewFarley]

[quote name='end_of_alpa' date='Apr 14 2008, 08:29 AM' post='592489'

We won't need it. Only Section 22 Seniority is to be "cost neutral". The rest is negotiable....as always.

See you in court.
[/quote]

So you admit your going to sell the west out to get your way, does this mean that your LOA 93 benefit package is permanent?

You complain about ALPA and the wages it has produced. I can wait to see the numbers you cook up, oh that's right, you have the answer to everything.

 

[ChuckBewFarley]

[quote name='end_of_alpa' date='Apr 14 2008, 08:29 AM' post='592489'

We won't need it. Only Section 22 Seniority is to be "cost neutral". The rest is negotiable....as always.

See you in court.
[/quote]

So you admit your going to sell the west out to get your way, does this mean that your LOA 93 benefit package is permanent?

You complain about ALPA and the wages it has produced. I can't wait to see the numbers you cook up, oh that's right, you have the answer to everything.

 

[ChuckBewFarley]

[quote name='end_of_alpa' date='Apr 14 2008, 08:29 AM' post='592489'

We won't need it. Only Section 22 Seniority is to be "cost neutral". The rest is negotiable....as always.

See you in court.
[/quote]

So you admit your going to sell the west out to get your way, does this mean that your LOA 93 benefit package is permanent?

You complain about ALPA and the wages it has produced. I can't wait to see the numbers you cook up, oh that's right, you have the answer to everything.

 

[319hitter]

Hot off the USAPA presses. In a closed door executive session in CLT on Friday the USAPA Board elected Mike Cleary to be Executive Vice President. Why was it in executive session and why did it take our unelected leaders close to three days to announce their choice? So much for transparency and so much for democracy.

By the way, please tell me when a seniority integration award was ever modified without the authorization of both parties to the dispute? And while you are at it tell me which pilot contract our professional negotiator has ever negotiated.

 

[LSS]

[quote name='ChuckBewFarley' post='592578' date='Apr 14 2008, 01:07 PM'][quote name='end_of_alpa' date='Apr 14 2008, 08:29 AM' post='592489'

We won't need it. Only Section 22 Seniority is to be "cost neutral". The rest is negotiable....as always.

See you in court.


So you admit your going to sell the west out to get your way, does this mean that your LOA 93 benefit package is permanent?

You complain about ALPA and the wages it has produced. I can't wait to see the numbers you cook up, oh that's right, you have the answer to everything.[/quote]

One post of your response was entirely sufficient... Thrice... we're bored...

 

[LSS]

On another note it doesn't appear anything earth shattering occurred in CLT during the USAPA meeting. I have yet to see any updates about it. For those in the know, was there anything juicy or was it just administrative work?

Fellow pilot,

On April 11th a majority of the pilots that will comprise the USAPA Board of Pilot Reps held an informal meeting at the Sterling Inn in CLT.
The meeting began at 10:00 a.m. with Officer and committee introductions; each Pilot Rep, Officer and committee member stating their reasons for involvement along with their vision of the future of representation for the US Airways pilots. All present were in complete agreement that USAPA represents a new day for the US Airways pilots, one in which the old ways must be cast off. The Board, comprised of pilots across the seniority spectrum, was in complete agreement that the days of cliques and divisions within the representative body are over, and must remain that way to allow the group to move forward.

Following introductory statements, Interim President Stephen Bradford reviewed the reasons for USAPA's existence, touching on resentment with poor representation years before the merger evidenced by prior attempts on both properties to decertify ALPA.

Interim President Bradford then conducted a review of the constitution and bylaws of USAPA with particular emphasis on voting, senatorial vs. roll call, and its limitations in USAPA. Other Constitutional items such as Membership status and rights and responsibilities were also discussed.

Interim Vice President Mark Thorpe discussed his reasons for involvement in USAPA, and reflected on his own feelings along with his impressions of those of the pilot group, with regard to the fairness of ALPA's proposed integration solution. Mark quite eloquently articulated the thoughts of the entire Board, that no one is here to take anything from anyone. Mark then formally announced his retirement from the airline, and thanked all present for their work to give the pilots a choice.

President Bradford then completed a review of legal counsel to date and of current billing and billing considerations in the future. Following this was a review of the Critical Incident Response program. Small credit card sized ID backers will be distributed to all pilots prior to Day 1; the backers will have the necessary contact information so as to give the pilots immediate Safety and Legal support in the event of an incident or accident.

At this point the meeting broke for a lunch break, after which it was closed to non-USAPA members.

Following lunch was a review of USAPA's office lease, and a detailed presentation by USAPA's IT providers. Other discussions centered on pilot insurance products and Aeromedical services.

Due to the fact that USAPA Officers, Reps and committee members are still required to fly full schedules, Interim Secretary/Treasurer Mark King was unable to attend the meeting. In his stead, President Bradford discussed various accounting procedures, expense procedures, budget considerations and the expense requirements and limitations as delineated in the USAPA Constitution.

A thorough briefing and presentation was given by Captain Tracy Parrella on grievance procedures.

The Board then addressed the question of amending the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association to create an additional National Officer position titled “Executive Vice President;†the question was put before the Board. The creation of the new position was argued to improve the administration of the activities of the association by delineating and distributing the duties and responsibilities of the Vice-President and Secretary/Treasurer functions across three individuals versus the existing two, thereby enhancing job performance and efficiency. The motion to create the position passed unanimously.

Addressed next was the question of nominees for the position of interim Executive Vice President. First Officer Gary Bauhan was nominated to the position. No other nominees were submitted. The Board then recommended to the Officers that First Officer Bauhan be appointed to the position of Interim Executive Vice President and the recommendation was accepted. (Scroll down for Gary's resume.)

Pursuant to the recent retirement of First Officer Mark Thorpe from the current position of Interim Vice President of the Association, the question of nominees to fill the position of Vice President of the association was addressed by the Board. Two nominees were submitted for the position, Captain Scott Theuer and Captain Michael Cleary. By majority vote the Board recommended to the Officers that Captain Cleary be appointed to the position of Interim Vice President, and the Officers accepted that recommendation. (Scroll down for Mike's resume.)

Both because some members of the Board were not present, and because the Board will not officially be seated until after the election, the above Interim positions will be officially voted on and confirmed after the Board is seated.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 7 p.m.

As the day of USAPA's certification rapidly approaches, the Officers and Board members are very happy with both the amount of work accomplished in this first meeting, and perhaps even more importantly, with the positive vision shared by all. A new day soon dawns for the US Airways pilots.


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Interim Vice President Mike Cleary's resume:

1986 – Present US Airways Airbus 320 Captain in Boston. EDUCATION: September 2005 and September 1994 ALPA Grievance Seminar, Washington, DC. August 2003. Karrass Negotiating School, Boston, MA. June 1981 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida Bachelor of Science / Aeronautical Science

1999 – 2008 System Board of Adjustment Member, eventually as Chairman. Represented the Association as a Member of the System Board of Adjustment at numerous Arbitrations and Executive Sessions. Responsible for generating positive relationships with Arbitrators to promote and influence the Association's case and for promoting the Association’s position through argument at Executive Sessions.

June 2000 – Fall 2001 MEC Merger Committee Member. Planned and coordinated all resources with the responsibility to produce a merged seniority list during the US Airways/United Airlines corporate integration.

1993 - 1994 Strategic Planning Committee Member. Worked with the Negotiating Committee to develop proposals for the MEC for the contract opener in 1994. Comprehensively reviewed the Collective Bargaining Agreement and recommended potential improvements and points of leverage.

November 1991 – February 1999 First Officer then Captain Representative for Boston’s Council 32. Represented the Boston pilots at the LEC and MEC levels. Presented countless representational issues and grievances over these years.

July 1995 – October 1997 Scope Clause Review Committee Member. Appointed by ALPA President Babbitt, the Committee addressed the apparently competing interests between Mainline Collective Bargaining Agreement Scope Clauses and pilot career progression at regional and mainline carriers. The Committee reported to President Babbitt and to the Executive Board with recommendations and Association Policy changes through the Administrative Manual.

I am honored by the confidence that the Board of Pilot Representatives and the USAPA Officers have placed in me and look forward to a valuable roll in the new era that the US Airways pilots are on the verge of creating for themselves. We have a tremendous, and in all probability, a once in a lifetime opportunity that should be seized with hard work and with the spirit of the pilot’s desire for change that we have all heard.

The first steps in the process will be to create an environment encouraging open and vigorous debate on the significant issues before us. It also my great hope that we will leave behind the personalizing and vilification of individuals that has been emblematic of many of our failures in the past. I commit to all US Airways Pilots, east and west, that I will use all of my resources to cause the debate to focus on the issues, not the people. I expect and will work diligently to pursue the pilots’ issues with vigor and conviction including a more business-like attitude than we have witnessed in the past.

We have a great group of diverse and talented pilots who are demonstrating to the world they want a new and better union. I am confident that the USAPA Leadership team will work together and make those desires a reality for the US Airways Pilots.




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Interim Executive Vice President Gary Bauhan's resume:

I was hired by US Airways in October 1999 after completing a 20-year career in the USAF. I spent most of my service time flying fighters; F-15s primarily but was also “loaned†out to the Navy for a couple years, F-16Ns, A4s, and F-5s. As is typical in the military, I also had to pick up a non-flying specialty. Mine was contracts. I wrote, awarded, and managed several government contracts with values ranging up to $25M. My furlough came in early December 2001 during which I was employed by a multinational manufacturing firm as a corporate Sourcing Manager. Essentially I competed and negotiated the purchase of large scale capital projects mainly in the Western Hemisphere. I was recalled in June 07 to fly 757/767 domestic and will start International flying in April (very junior reserve).

I have a BS degree in Engineering from Purdue and an MBA from the University Of Chicago Graduate School Of Business in Finance, Strategic Management, and Organizational Behavior. I’m married with 6 kids (2 x 3) and live in Indiana near Chicago.

 

[LSS]

Wrong you say? Not by a long shot. Unless you know Woody personally your conclusions about him don't even come close. What I said is no spin either. You are the one who tried to bring up the trust factor. Therefore your opinion about him as not representing "Fairly" all pilots is just plain wrong. Hope you don't have to find out, but if you do, I would rather have him on my side than ALPA's representation.

I do know WM and can say without reservation he is a pilot's pilot, and would do everything within his power to see that every pilot, east or west, got a "fair shake". I'm very skeptical the statement(s) being attributed to him is (are) accurate.

 

[LSS]

Hot off the USAPA presses. In a closed door executive session in CLT on Friday the USAPA Board elected Mike Cleary to be Executive Vice President. Why was it in executive session and why did it take our unelected leaders close to three days to announce their choice? So much for transparency and so much for democracy.

By the way, please tell me when a seniority integration award was ever modified without the authorization of both parties to the dispute? And while you are at it tell me which pilot contract our professional negotiator has ever negotiated.

There you go... are you part of the ALPA FUD machine??? He was not elected in "closed door executive session". Complete BS... read the statement put out by USAPA...

Are you for real???

 

[sharktooth]

Relax, your blood pressure will return to normal.

Never left. What about yours?

Always love to jump in when people put out absolutely wrong "common wisdom". McDonald's hot coffee. Note toward the bottom where "the judge called McDonalds' conduct reckless, callous and willful".

People that pass things like the "Stella Awards" and other junk without doing any kind of checking are just maliciously negligent. After the Swift Boat lies, lies about Bush and Gore, "lazy" does not cut it anymore with me.

 

[AAA73Pilot]

I'm very skeptical the statement(s) being attributed to him is (are) accurate.

Me too. That is why I wonder how and why these people post such disparaging remarks.

 

[AAA73Pilot]

I guess we'll just disagree on that then.

I have the utmost respect and I am very satisfied with the performance of those people within ALPA out here who have volunteered to represent their fellow pilots in time of need when called to see the boss. I know I can trust them if I ever needed their services.

Yea, I guess so.

If those volunteers out west really care about what they do, then why don't you ask them to volunteer again with USAPA? At least, as you say, you will have somebody you trust then. If not you will get the volunteers already in place.

 

[b737fo]

Me too. That is why I wonder how and why these people post such disparaging remarks.

Well I can't link you to the quote any more but it was contained in a letter authored by someone claiming to be WM posted on the official USAPA website. This letter has since been removed from the site.

It is really up to the individual to decide whether or not they are going to support this new organization by volunteering if it is elected in a couple of days. Personally I have no intention of putting my reputation on the line by appearing to support this group who currently runs USAPA. That is why I do not intend to volunteer for a committee position. As to my brothers and sisters out West, well you have to ask them why they will or will not volunteer. I am already aware of the fact that without our participation then USAPA will have no input from the West and they will just have to make the decisions themselves. So be it. I will however expect that this new group will defend my rights given to me in my current contract as long as it is in effect. After all defending their members is their job if elected on the 17th.

 

[LSS]

It is really up to the individual to decide whether or not they are going to support this new organization by volunteering if it is elected in a couple of days. Personally I have no intention of putting my reputation on the line by appearing to support this group who currently runs USAPA. That is why I do not intend to volunteer for a committee position. As to my brothers and sisters out West, well you have to ask them why they will or will not volunteer. I am already aware of the fact that without our participation then USAPA will have no input from the West and they will just have to make the decisions themselves. So be it. I will however expect that this new group will defend my rights given to me in my current contract as long as it is in effect. After all defending their members is their job if elected on the 17th.

I agree 100% with your statement. Having said that however, do not collectively "cut off your noses to spite your face". Only through your involvement (not necessarily you personally -- but collectively) how can the west pilots, if they refuse to become involved, then claim "you didn't represent my interests"??... only through your (collectively as a group) involvement can you have your voices heard. I know the majority of you have your minds made up, and are reluctant to objectively look at what USAPA could mean to all of us.

So I'm asking all AWA pilots to either get involved in USAPA should they become the CBA, fight for what you believe is right and fair or don't complain in the future...

We can all be part of the solution... but not without involvement by both sides.

 

[prechilill]

...fight for what you believe is right and fair or don't complain in the future...

We can all be part of the solution... but not without involvement by both sides.

Obvioiusly, friend, you have no clue what fun that is about to begin- you guys in the east have taught 1,800 of us in the west that rules don't matter, ethics and morals- who cares about that-- it is all about disruption and not honoring agreements. Unfortunately the east chose not to play nice in the sandbox. So if you think you can subvert one third of the pilot group and actually believe harmony will prevail after the 17th you are pretty naive, my friend. Without ALPA protecting the east, you guys are left naked to a whole new world of litigation, disruption and will have LOA93 for years to come.
One day you may realize all actions have consequences, and it kills me to have to say this. We could of had a nice, unified work force together. You chose to fight us with USAPA, so harmony will never be possible. I am sorry you cannot see that. For me and most of us on the west, USAPA is the enemy- and always will be. You will have an ineffective union where 1/3 of the members will do anything to subvert the dictatorship of USAPA. It sounds like a lot of this is news to you, but it really shouldn't be. Any logical person at this point would understand there is going to be a groundswell of opposition against you guys. However, after the fantasy you all have been living about the finality of the seniority award, I am not surprised you cannot figure out what awaits you after the 17th.