Once again, we see the delay strategy.
I think the company wants a sick note.
Case No. 2:13-cv-00471-ROS
INTERVENOR US AIRWAYS, INC.’S OPPOSITION TO USAPA’S MOTION TO CONTINUE TRIAL DATE (DOC. NO. 221)
Case 2:13-cv-00471-ROS Document 223 Filed 10/16/13 Page 2 of 5
This is the sixth time in the course of this lawsuit that defendant US Airline Pilots Association ("USAPA") has attempted to avoid or delay resolution of the Plaintiffs’ claims on the merits.1 As was the case for its five prior attempts, and for the following reasons, USAPA’s pending Motion To Continue Trial Date (Doc. No. 221) should be denied.
First, as this Court recognized in granting US Airways’ motion for intervention, "US Airways has a ‘significant protectable interest’ in the timely resolution of the seniority dispute [and] the failure to resolve the seniority dispute in a timely manner may ‘impair or impede’ US Airways’ interest by frustrating the expected realization of ‘the operational and financial benefits from the combined pilot workforce.’" (September 18, 2013 Order (Doc. No. 194) at 4:3-6.) USAPA’s motion, if granted, would create a strong possibility that the long-running seniority dispute between the West Pilots and USAPA will not be resolved in a sufficiently timely manner, because USAPA cannot guarantee when President Hummel will be cleared by his doctor to travel to Phoenix and to
participate in a trial – USAPA can only say that it will be no sooner than December 2, 2013. (See Doc. No. 221, at 4:28-5:1 (all citations herein are to internal, not ECF, pagination).) Thus, USAPA’s assertion that, even with its requested continuance, "the
trial herein can still occur prior to the time that judgment in the DOJ Antitrust Action enters" (id. at 5:1-2) is sheer speculation. And if USAPA’s prediction turns out wrong and President Hummel is not able to participate at trial in December, then USAPA’s continuance request could result in delaying resolution of the seniority dispute until after the DOJ Action is completed and this, in turn, would impair US Airways’ significant protectable interest in expeditiously realizing the operational and financial benefits from a combined pilot workforce.
Second, USAPA’s request for a delay in order to ensure the availability of a "key" trial witness (Doc. No. 221, at 1:3) is inconsistent with its motion for summary judgment wherein USAPA stated that "the record demonstrates no genuine dispute as to any material fact." (Doc. No. 211, at 1:8-9.) Given this assertion, it is not credible for USAPA now to claim that President Hummel’s testimony "is necessary for the Court to have a complete understanding of the facts regarding . . . whether USAPA breached its DFR by entering into an MOU that does not require USAPA use the Nicolau Award in the McCaskill-Bond process." (Doc. No. 221, at 4:9-12.)
Third, regardless of the necessity and/or the permissibility of President Hummel’s testimony, the trial can and should proceed as scheduled on October 22 and 23, 2013. The parties can use the two days that are already on-calendar to address the issues that would otherwise have been addressed in a final pre-trial conference, to present opening statements, and to take the testimony of all other witnesses and enter exhibits. This work needs to be done – and there is no good reason not to do this work now. If the Court determines, based on USAPA’s and the Plaintiffs’ briefing on the pending motion for continuance and/or the testimony presented at trial, that President Hummel’s testimony is both permissible and necessary, then the lawyers could travel to where he lives and additional testimony could be taken from President Hummel via deposition and submitted to the Court after the October 22-23 trial. If, on the other hand, the Court were to agree with Plaintiffs that President Hummel’s testimony is neither necessary nor permissible, then the record could be closed on October 23, none of the parties would have suffered
any prejudice, and resolution of the seniority dispute will no longer present an obstacle to the airlines’ prompt realization of the benefits of the merger.
US Airways wishes President Hummel a speedy and successful recovery, but his current situation provides no basis for abandoning the October 22-23, 2013 trial dates that are already on-calendar.
CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, USAPA’s Motion To Continue Trial Date should be denied.Dated: October 16, 2013.