Charging Resolution To The Alpa Nc

[BoeingBoy]

SPECIAL MEC MEETING – SEPTEMBER 10, 2004 – PITTSBURGH

Whereas the US Airways pilots have a long history of coming to the rescue of our company in a time of need, and

Whereas during the current crisis the US Airways MEC committed to participate in the design of a Transformation Plan, in order to allow the company to be competitive with low cost carriers, and

Whereas US Airways management has publicity stated that the pilot share of the cost reduction necessary to be competitive with “LCC’s†is $300 million of the total employee cost reduction of $800 million, and

Whereas US Airways management has publicly stated that they would not specify how to meet the $300 million goal, rather that the pilots could determine for themselves, through negotiation, how to reach the company’s stated goal, and

Whereas throughout the entire negotiating process, management has been impeding the process through delaying tactics, engaging in perfidious pedantry over valuations and constantly moving the goal line, such as adding an additional $40 million dollar requirement as late as September 6, 2004, and

Whereas the ALPA proposal of August 21, 2004 was valued at $255 million, and

Whereas the ALPA proposal of August 28, 2004, which included a 16.25 % reduction in pay and a 10% reduction to the rate of individual defined contributions, as well as other productivity concessions, brought the entire offer of proposed concessions to $288 million dollars, and

Whereas the savings realized from reduced training costs due to productivity concessions offered by ALPA are conservatively valued at $17 million dollars, and

Whereas these concessionary proposals, collectively, amount to $305 million dollars, thus exceeding the Company’s stated goal of a pilot contribution level of $300 million dollars, and

Whereas these cost reductions and productivity increases make us competitive with the LCC’s (i.e. America West wages and Jet Blue productivity), and

Whereas US Airways management has continually insisted on concessions in areas of work rules and then, subsequently, assign no value to the concessions, when, in reality, these concessions have a high and calculable value, thus giving credibility to the “land grab†aspect of their negotiations, and

Whereas management has continually insisted on eliminating post retirement health insurance, as well as severe changes to the pilots’ long term disability benefit provisions, that are above and beyond what is necessary in order to bring our cost in line with the low cost carriers, thereby attacking the old and infirmed, and

Whereas even in light of these patently horrific tactics by the management of US Airways, the Air Line Pilots Association remains committed to reaching an agreement, so as to transform this airline into a company that is able to be competitive with the low cost carriers,

Therefore be it resolved the US Airways MEC reaffirms the charge to the negotiating committee to continue in good-faith bargaining to conclude an agreement, including a 16.25% reduction in wages and a 10% reduction in the rate of individual pilot’s defined contribution payments, and

Be it further resolved the value of the productivity enhancements included in the August 28, 2004 ALPA proposal is sufficient to transform US Airways so as to be competitive with the low cost carriers.

Be it further resolved that the MEC reaffirms its previous, unanimous commitment to ALPA’s position that the Company and the Negotiating Committee must come to a mutual consensus on the outstanding issues regarding the pilots’ defined contribution retirement plan that arose from the termination of the defined benefit plan, and the no cost/low cost contractual enhancements.

Be it finally resolved that the negotiating committee is not authorized to make any changes to the pilot working agreement that do not have a verifiable, and mutually agreed upon dollar value.

 

[us10]

Subj: Our First ####-Slapping...The Company's Sept 10, 2004 Proposal
Date: 9/11/04 3:44:27 AM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Garland Jo
To: [email protected]

BOS Pilots,

Just returned from the PIT Special MEC Meeting called by the PIT/PHL Reps.

Quite a turnout, 150 or more pilots, and from all bases, including several from BOS.

As soon as we were called to order, I asked the PIT/PHL Reps why they called this meeting so soon after a 2 week Special Meeting in DCA, and questioned whether there was real work to be done or if this was a publicity stunt in turning out the PIT pilots to support their position. As the PIT/PHL Reps were all dressed up in their uniforms, and the negotiating committee were all in their uniforms, I think the answer was obvious to all even though none of the 4 who called the meeting chose to answer my question.

I then moved a Resolution which said that since all these pilots had come on their own time and at their own expense to speak to the MEC (and I thanked them for doing so), then at least the members of the MEC should not claim expenses or flight pay loss as well. John Brookman objected to this, and since this would have had to pass without objection, my Resolution died.

Does make one wonder, though, that after 2 weeks of flight pay loss in DCA, the man who called yet another Special MEC Meeting 4 days later would fight so hard to collect another day (5 hours) of flight pay loss paid for by ALPA dues money.

In any event, the Freshwater, Brookman, Crocker (proxy) and Von Bargen side show started, but since there was a rather massive turnout of CLT pilots there as well, it didn't go as planned for these gentlemen as an even number of both their supporters and critics spoke at the meeting.

Their supporters were adamant that they didn't want to see any proposal from, or agreement with, the company unless the PIT/PHL Reps gave their blessing to it, and their critics said how dare they use their Roll Call vote to deny the pilots of this airline a vote on their careers.

After about 4 hours of listening to the pilots, and giving all who wished an opportunity to speak, we moved onto the 2nd agenda item with an update from the NC. As they had all gone home after our meeting in DCA just like the rest of us, they had little to report except that the company had this very day withdrawn all previous offers and proposals, and had replaced it with the one that is attached to this letter.

As you can see, it took the negotiating process right back to where it started 3 months ago, and maybe a little further, with a 16.5% pay cut, Jet Blue work rules, 95 hour cap (flex to 100), and a matching 401K in lieu of our DC Plan. Also check out what the company is proposing for profit sharing, fragmentation and the minimum 279 fleet caveat's. And finally, note that the 1113 waiver letter offer is rescinded.

We just got our fist ####-slapping everybody, and it's exactly according to the script that our advisors have been telling us would happen, advice that has been consistently ignored by the RC4.

And that advice was that on the night of Monday, Sept. 6, when we were looking at the product of 3 months of negotiations (called a company "proposal" because our NC would not put their names on it), that "proposal" would be as good as it gets with a potential bankruptcy in our immediate future. The RC4 denied this pilot group the opportunity to vote on that "proposal," and today the company withdrew it.

No problem, says the RC4, we'll just pass another charging resolution sending the NC back into negotiations yet again, and this time we'll use the same strategy that has failed so miserably before in these negotiations, that being we'll stipulate where the NC can and cannot go in seeking a TA with the company.

I moved an amendment to take those stipulations off the NC since they had so disastrously shackled them to failure in the past, and, not surprisingly, the RC4 Rolled Called my amendment down, and then Roll Called their Charging Resolution into being (now their 27th Roll Call vote since March 1, 2004).

They then beat up on Jack Stephen for a while because they thought he was being too critical of their use of the Roll Call vote and of them denying the pilots the right to vote on the company's Sept. 6 proposal, and then, growing tired of their own charade, finally ran out of things to say, so we adjourned and all went back home.

Again, not one of our finest hours, but we're all starting to get used to it by now.

So today we are as far apart, or further, then we ever have been in negotiations, and it's Saturday, Sept. 11, which is one day before Sunday, Sept. 12, 2004.

May God help us. He'll have to, as we have proven totally incapable of helping ourselves.

Garland


As all can see this "charging resolution" with all it's inflamitory language is the product of the RC 4 not the full MEC.

 

[BoeingBoy]

I've never met F/O Jones, so only know him by his posts on the ALPA board. Judging by those (and this is one of the more rational ones), he is a narrow-minded bitter person who is incapable of accepting the fact that he is not the fount of all wisdom. Apparently, he believes his way is the only way and anyone that disagrees is subject to all sorts of slander and spite.

But, hey, that's just my opinion...

Jim

 

[EyeInTheSky]

Piney, I've seen Garland's true blue colors on the ALPA board, it's ridiculous. If you want reasoning Jim aka BoeingBoy posts seem to be rational and well though out. And, he's a CLT based pilot, which gives you another POV. Who knew?

 

[EyeInTheSky]

Jim, BOS USED TO be a very well represented base. The voting block always used to be PIT-PHL-BOS; now, who knows what is going on up there. I've talked to a few BOS pilots and they think like we do, and they claim there are many more that don't agree with their LEC leader. I think you know what they are going through.

 

[28yrsnojob]

alpa do not bend or you will bk yourself.call their bluff.the company has everthing to lose pilots and rest of the group have nothing to lose.but your pride.
let the richman eat his pride and his pocketbook this time,.