US Airways ALPA MEC Chairman's Message

[Freighterguynow]

Yup.

At some point, you'll just have one imposed on you.

That brings up a really good point as the Allied pilot group was fined $40 million (or so) over the actions of their rank and file:

If ALPA removes the AAA MEC , then imposes a contract upon the pilot group would they not risk suit by the corporation when the average pilot rises up against their ALPA Overlords?

 

[Cactus737]

You never know what will happen in this business and as one frequent poster shows, if you guess a lot , you're wrong a lot.

Although - guessing alot is the only way of increasing your odds of being correct LOL.

Either the East resolve to maintain separate ops is BS (like most of their resolutions), or it has pushed Parker's "you never know what will happen" button.

 

[USA320Pilot]

It is my understanding the Rice Committee proposed three solutions: Separate contracts and separate operations, a joint contract and separate opertions, or the AWA MEC seeking Section 6 negotiations. In my opinion, either of the Rice Committee options would be acceptable to the US Airways pilots.

Furthermore, what's wrong with a separate contract of comparable value for US Airways and America West pilots? And, from a labor perspective what's wrong with preserving each groups career expectation with separate operations? You could negotiate a contract with scope protections that permits all of the synergies such as flying each others equipment, reserves flying out-of-base trips on the other side of the Mississippi River, etc. but only permit pilots to bid positions in their pre-merger crew base. The benefit to the customer and corporation is to eliminate the angst, create labor peace, and get the East pilots out of their 3-engine taxi mentality.

Also noteworthy, the West pilots, along with the east pilots, could obtain a pay raise and prevent "money lost forever" for both pilot groups.

Without such agreement the US Airways pilots can legally prevent the Nicolau Award from being implemented for nearly a decade.

Finally, I have included below tonight's US Airways ALPA MEC code-a-phone update. I believe an important point is the "educate to vacate" section.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

MEC CODE-A-PHONE UPDATE - August 1, 2007

This is Arnie Gentile with a US Airways MEC update for Wednesday, August 1st, with four new items.

Item 1. MEC Chairman Jack Stephan has recorded a Chairman’s Message today that starts off discussing the strategic resolution the MEC passed last week called "Equivalent Contract Negotiations." It endorses the concept of equivalent contracts (separate contracts of comparable value for US Airways and America West pilots), but with permanent separate operations that will include preemptive contract language for protection in future mergers. This resolution provides a path to achieve both seniority protections and economic returns.

Captain Stephan also addresses equal pay for equal work and acknowledges that LCC’s 2nd quarter results demonstrate once again that US Airways is providing the profits and covering the losses of America West. He states that it is disheartening to learn that the AWA MEC actually approached management and relayed that the America West pilots would be outraged if the East Pilots were granted parity.

Other topics of the message include AAA/AWA communications, and the de-cert effort. Please take the time to read this very important update. It is posted in What’s New, emailed to all pilots and can be heard by pressing prompt 2 on the Code-a Phone.

Item 2. Today, ALPA President John Prater held a conference call with the Executive Board, which is comprised of the MEC Chairman from each MEC, to update them on the AAA/AWA seniority issue as well as the work of the Rice Committee.

The JNC and the US Airways MEC Negotiating Committee met briefly yesterday with ALPA First Vice President Paul Rice and they will be meeting again today.

In other JNC news, the committee also met with management yesterday and today. We did not anticipate much movement during these talks and at this time there is little to report on the discussions.

Item 3. The Safety Committee has posted an ALPA Safety Bulletin under What's New. This bulletin concerns Runway Incursion and Construction Hazards at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Background information and recommendations are included in this alert.

Item 4. Yesterday, the New York Times reported that Northwest Airlines again canceled large numbers of flights at the end of July--526 flights from Friday July 27th through Sunday, July 29th. In a memo to Northwest employees on Friday, the chief executive officer, Doug Steenland, blamed “pilot absenteeism†for the delays.

The Northwest MEC said in late June that Northwest was unfairly blaming pilots for problems caused primarily by insufficient staff in a system with “no slack.†Northwest crews have been routinely reaching their maximum monthly limits on work hours near the end of a month.

News you can use:

W.A.R. Item 801

FOM 2.9.5 - Flight crews will make a log book entry for any failure, malfunction, or defect that may affect the safe operation of the aircraft. The Captain should make every effort to discuss the entries directly with maintenance.

Educate to Vacate:

More undisputable financial facts: Operating income for the 2nd Q2007

US Airways…………… $320 million dollar Operating Income

America West…………. ($25) million Operating Loss

Equal pay for Equal Work:

The US Airways pilots have worked under an F Scale for 673 Days.

From September 27th, 2005 to August 1st, 2007, Due to the lack of =PAY4=WORK

Every Group 2 US Airways Captain has lost $30,940

Every Group 2 US Airways First Officer has lost $14,137

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

I'm trying to understand who did this to the East Pilots-was it the West Pilots? Was it some old guy and two neutral Pilots from other airlines? Should not the vitriol? be directed at the old guy and two Pilots from other airlines?

 

[A320 Driver]

Ask Hemmingway.

To my knowledge, Hemmingway didn't make the statement.


A320 Driver

 

[WCT]

Pardon me, but two thoughts immediately strike me:

1. What pay raise are you speaking of? East accepted (yes, accepted) a contract not too long ago that doesn't become amenable until 2010. Live with what you negotiated.

2. Weren't you one of the main proponents of that contract at that point in time? Didn't you opine that it was better to negotiate concessions then possibly be unemployed? Don't you now have what you wanted?
Lack of integrity? What a pile. Tell me, which party to an agreement to submit a dispute to binding arbitration for full and final settlement of the outstanding issues presented to an arbitration panel is refusing to accept the result? Just what the hell do you expect the West guys to do, let you steamroller them after they tried, and failed, to negotiate a compromise that East would not accept? Give me a break.

Why don't you start posting in the fa's blog, forums, and keep out of pilots??? ! Considering you are an hpfa, what do you know about being a pilot, or what they are going thru?? Let them fight on there own ! JMHO

 

[supercruiser]

If another merger was not likely on the horizon, I would have probably joined in the decert effort. IMO, we are much better off with ALPA if we merge with another ALPA carrier. Otherwise we could end up stapled or worse - AA/TWA. Think the Nic award was bad? If we do not have ALPA, another carrier’s Union group could have their way with us, and they would bring the KY.

You don't need ALPA Merger policy to merge with another carrier, ALPA represented or any other union. All you need is the standard Allegheny-Mohawk LPP's, as that is similar to ALPA merger policy, which is negotiate, mediate, arbitrate. The TWA guys got screwed because they were coerced into giving up the LPP protection, as they supposedly were assured that they would be integrated fairly. They were in a bad bargaining position, so they did it, and it ended up bad for them. Being an ALPA carrier didn't do a thing for TWA.

 

[nycbusdriver]

To my knowledge, Hemmingway didn't make the statement.
A320 Driver

Hemmenway sent a letter well over a year ago which was seen as a shot across the bow of ALPA. It was immediately vehemently condemned by ALPA. The gist of the letter was that the company's standpoint is that they legally have the right to impose the surviving contract on the entire pilot group. USAirways (i.e. east) is the surviving corporation and operations certificate, so the implication was that the company can impose LOA 93 on the combined pilot group.

While Tempe let that letter and the ensuing outrage settle down into memory's oblivion, it NEVER (to the best of my knowledge) recanted that letter or backed away from their contention that they can legally impose LOA 93 on the west group. Of course, legal matters are settled in a court of law, not in the opinions stated by the Tempe legal department. But it could be an interesting twist. Personally, I doubt that Doogie would even attempt to pull such a move, but who would have thought he would try to buyout Delta?

 

[brown]

It is my understanding the Rice Committee proposed three solutions: Separate contracts and separate operations, a joint contract and separate opertions, or the AWA MEC seeking Section 6 negotiations. In my opinion, either of the Rice Committee options would be acceptable to the US Airways pilots.

Furthermore, what's wrong with a separate contract of comparable value for US Airways and America West pilots? And, from a labor perspective what's wrong with preserving each groups career expectation with separate operations? You could negotiate a contract with scope protections that permits all of the synergies such as flying each others equipment, reserves flying out-of-base trips on the other side of the Mississippi River, etc. but only permit pilots to bid positions in their pre-merger crew base. The benefit to the customer and corporation is to eliminate the angst, create labor peace, and get the East pilots out of their 3-engine taxi mentality.

Also noteworthy, the West pilots, along with the east pilots, could obtain a pay raise and prevent "money lost forever" for both pilot groups.

Without such agreement the US Airways pilots can legally prevent the Nicolau Award from being implemented for nearly a decade.

Finally, I have included below tonight's US Airways ALPA MEC code-a-phone update. I believe an important point is the "educate to vacate" section.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

MEC CODE-A-PHONE UPDATE - August 1, 2007

This is Arnie Gentile with a US Airways MEC update for Wednesday, August 1st, with four new items.

Item 1. MEC Chairman Jack Stephan has recorded a Chairman’s Message today that starts off discussing the strategic resolution the MEC passed last week called "Equivalent Contract Negotiations." It endorses the concept of equivalent contracts (separate contracts of comparable value for US Airways and America West pilots), but with permanent separate operations that will include preemptive contract language for protection in future mergers. This resolution provides a path to achieve both seniority protections and economic returns.

Captain Stephan also addresses equal pay for equal work and acknowledges that LCC’s 2nd quarter results demonstrate once again that US Airways is providing the profits and covering the losses of America West. He states that it is disheartening to learn that the AWA MEC actually approached management and relayed that the America West pilots would be outraged if the East Pilots were granted parity.

Other topics of the message include AAA/AWA communications, and the de-cert effort. Please take the time to read this very important update. It is posted in What’s New, emailed to all pilots and can be heard by pressing prompt 2 on the Code-a Phone.

Item 2. Today, ALPA President John Prater held a conference call with the Executive Board, which is comprised of the MEC Chairman from each MEC, to update them on the AAA/AWA seniority issue as well as the work of the Rice Committee.

The JNC and the US Airways MEC Negotiating Committee met briefly yesterday with ALPA First Vice President Paul Rice and they will be meeting again today.

In other JNC news, the committee also met with management yesterday and today. We did not anticipate much movement during these talks and at this time there is little to report on the discussions.

Item 3. The Safety Committee has posted an ALPA Safety Bulletin under What's New. This bulletin concerns Runway Incursion and Construction Hazards at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Background information and recommendations are included in this alert.

Item 4. Yesterday, the New York Times reported that Northwest Airlines again canceled large numbers of flights at the end of July--526 flights from Friday July 27th through Sunday, July 29th. In a memo to Northwest employees on Friday, the chief executive officer, Doug Steenland, blamed “pilot absenteeism†for the delays.

The Northwest MEC said in late June that Northwest was unfairly blaming pilots for problems caused primarily by insufficient staff in a system with “no slack.†Northwest crews have been routinely reaching their maximum monthly limits on work hours near the end of a month.

News you can use:

W.A.R. Item 801

FOM 2.9.5 - Flight crews will make a log book entry for any failure, malfunction, or defect that may affect the safe operation of the aircraft. The Captain should make every effort to discuss the entries directly with maintenance.

Educate to Vacate:

More undisputable financial facts: Operating income for the 2nd Q2007

US Airways…………… $320 million dollar Operating Income

America West…………. ($25) million Operating Loss

Equal pay for Equal Work:

The US Airways pilots have worked under an F Scale for 673 Days.

From September 27th, 2005 to August 1st, 2007, Due to the lack of =PAY4=WORK

Every Group 2 US Airways Captain has lost $30,940

Every Group 2 US Airways First Officer has lost $14,137

You folks voted this contract in "live with it"

 

[Bear96]

You don't know what you're talking about. There is no such thing as an impasse, or imposing terms of a contract except in section 6 negotiations under the RLA, which are not taking place at the present time. (Ch 11 bankruptcy obviously somewhat of an exception, also not taking place at the present time). Even in section 6, after an impasse is reached, there is mediation, then a 30 day cooling off period, which can take several years after starting section 6 negotiations.

That's exactly what I am talking about.

Yes, it will take some time.

At some point East will have an obligation under the RLA to bargain with management. I never said it was today. But once that point is reached, and after going through the procedural steps, at some point if East refuses to bargain, terms will be imposed.

And I doubt under these facts it will take "several years" after starting Section 6 negotiations. East is showing its intransigence several years before negotiations even begin. They are building up quite a history already of showing a long-term "strategy" of having no intention to bargain and of being unreasonable towards the company. I am sure management is documenting all of it, and I imagine it will be very persuasive to the NMB, which management will run to as soon as they can after the Section 6 process has begun to have an impasse declared.

BTW, I think the long Section 6 route may actually be the worst-case scenario for management. Another approach could be that because East agreed to bargain in good faith to reach a joint contract quickly, that may have also created an obligation to bargain much sooner than the contract's amendable date. I would have to read the TA more carefully to see what else management can argue East agreed to. I have not had time to research that angle so that may be a long shot. But you can bet management is looking into it.

 

[Bear96]

You just made the case for USAPA. If this is what we have to look forward to, then I'll take my chances with a new union.

That's fine, and is certainly your right.

Of course, it won't change the outcome. If East refuses to bargain, no matter who represents them, at some point terms including the Nicolau list will be imposed.

Forming a new union in the meantime just makes management's job even easier because it shows a hopelessly divided work group and a total lack of solidarity, making the chances almost nil that a strike will occur or be successful once terms are imposed.

 

[supercruiser]

And I doubt under these facts it will take "several years" after starting Section 6 negotiations.

East sectin 6 amendable date is Dec 31, 2009. It WILL take several years...from now anyway.

 

[Bear96]

And, from a labor perspective what's wrong with preserving each groups career expectation with separate operations?

From a labor perspective, it's wrong because, among other things, (1) "labor" agreed to having a combined seniority list as determined by an arbitrator pursuant to the ALPA merger policy, not some sort of "preserving separate career expectations" concept concocted by East after decided it didn't like the arbitrator's decision, and (2) "labor" agreed in the TA to a fully merged operation, and to promptly bargain towards that goal in good faith.

 

[Bear96]

East sectin 6 amendable date is Dec 31, 2009. It WILL take several years...from now anyway.

From "now," possibly. However, I was responding a post which referred to it taking several years from the start of Section 6 negotiations. BTW, 2009 isn't that far away -- 2008 starts only five months from now! Even if it doesn't happen until 2010 or even 2011 that is still a lot shorter than what a certain USA320pilot is saying, which is that it will take at least ten years from now.

Management might be happy waiting until 2010. I don't know what their timetable is for needing to have fully integrated operations. (Not simply "wanting" -- I am sure they have an ambitious, quick timetable to show the public and employees how brief and efficient the merger process will be -- but "needing" financially to have fully integrated operations.) If it needs to be sooner, expect them to pursue the alternative strategy I outlined in the post you quoted from. But they may decide it is easier to just wait it out.

 

[Pi brat]

I would have to read the TA more carefully to see what else management can argue East agreed to. I have not had time to research that angle so that may be a long shot. But you can bet management is looking into it.

I can't get the TA to open from the ALPA website, but I believe that both sides did agree to negotiate a joint contract. The thing is, Doug and the boys decided there was no need to hurry up and get a deal, and so THEY were dragging their feet, happy to leave the east making less than the west. He could have settled this thing before the award came out and it would of pretty much tied our hands. If we had a joint contract before May, I think you ALPA would have sent the list to the company. This list just made the price go way up and time line way out. We should negotiate in good faith, but the reality of the situation is that a TA anywhere near what the company's last offer would not pass a membership vote. I don't think anyone can force the membership to vote for something.

I don't think this thing will drag out for 10 years, but 1-3 is a real possibility. Doug said this month he doesn't see it settled this year.