Schnurman: Union trouble at American Airlines? Say it ain’t so

[USA320Pilot]

[SIZE=10pt]Schnurman: Union trouble at American Airlines? Say it ain’t so[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=10pt]See Story: http://www.dallasnews.com/business/columnists/mitchell-schnurman/20141117-schnurman-union-trouble-at-american-airlines-say-it-aint-so.ece[/SIZE]

 

[USA320Pilot]

[SIZE=10pt]Is American Airlines prepared to drop its ‘scope’ request to pilots?[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=10pt]See story: http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/2014/11/is-american-airlines-prepared-to-drop-its-scope-request.html/[/SIZE]

 

[Phoenix]

Company water.  

 

[john john]

Was there a 2nd extension granted

 

[Phoenix]

Was there a 2nd extension granted

 
I have seen nothing on an extension requested or granted, but it kinda pointless anyway.  
 
To be clear, pursuant to the MOU, the APA does not request arbitration.  The company does.   No one forces this to arbitration except the company, whenever they get around to it.  

 

[john john]

In accordance with the MOU I thought there was a time line for a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement. If one could not be negotiated within 30 days of APA being certified as the union for all pilots of the combined airline then it goes to arbitration
So going to arbitration is at the company’s discretion?
So the first extension granted was not needed?

 

[nycbusdriver]

There is a timeline in place to keep the company from dragging their feet until they just get around to it.  Not that we have seen a lot of success with timelines, but in theory it was a good idea.  Neither side has to "request" it.
 
The problem is that the arbitrators "good ol' boy" network makes sure there is a steady backlog of work, so there is often long waits simply to get the arbitrators together, and that throws the timeline out the window.
 
Then, of course, the arbitrators can take their time with the decision...years even....as we have seen in spades at US Airways.
 
But the way the MOU was written, it really makes little difference to the pilots since the product of the arbitration has to be cost neutral.  That means, we will get what we are already (total compensation) with or without the arbitration.  The only thing this arbitration may settle is bringing all three contracts onto the same page.
 
And Parker sounds like he is headed to arbitration anyway.  Relax....enjoy what you have...you will have it in one form or another, no more; no less, until the amendable date which is 2018(???)
 
But IF the pilot shortage is real this time, should we fall on our APA swords over a scope relaxation that the company (and industry) cannot take advantage of anyway?  If there are no pilots to fly all those RJs we would be giving them, what is the point of saying no to the money?

 

[FWAAA]

All the 76-seat limit accomplishes is that AA will fly no planes in the 77-98 seat category, as AA isn't going to go buy a bunch of 90-seaters or 95-seaters and give them to the APA (assuming that there are routes where 90 or 95 seats make sense).   Other than the grandfathered US Airways Express 79-seaters and 80-seaters.   
 
I understand that pilots are worried about the "give them an inch and they'll be back for a foot before you know it" problem.   That may prevent mainline pilot unions from agreeing to scope relaxation at, say, 95 seats, with a "We'll burn the place down before we ever agree to further relaxations" because of the fear (probably justified) that come next Sec 6 negotiations, management will want 115 seats for regional outsourcing instead of 95.  

 

[nycbusdriver]

Has any pilot group done well in arbitration versus their company?
 
Sometime in the next 24 hours, the company will proffer binding arbitration and I wager that, despite the language of the MOU, the pilots will end up with less than "cost neutral".  The company will go in an present economic studies that show their own take on what each item costs.  The pilots will do the same.  Guess whose argument will win?
 
Has any pilot group done well in arbitration versus their company?

 

[PullUp]

Pilots are about to prove themselves just as under-educated about their contractual terms as the flight attendants were.
BOHICA! 

 

[A320 Driver]

Pilots are about to prove themselves just as under-educated about their contractual terms as the flight attendants were.
BOHICA!

Looks like a new initiative between APA and management in the works.

 

[Dog Wonder]

A new pilot thread? Who needs it?