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US Airways ALPA MEC CODE-A-PHONE UPDATE - February 26, 2003
This is Roy Freundlich with a US Airways MEC update for Wednesday, February 26, with three new items:
Item 1. There has been some recent media speculation concerning US Airways pilots utilizing the self-help provisions of the Railway Labor Act (RLA) in response to the possibility that the Company would impose a defined contribution plan. It is important to understand that any self-help actions, such as a strike, can only be administered if the Union and the Company have met the strict and restrictive conditions required by the RLA. At this time, the long and drawn-out regulatory process that needs to be utilized under RLA has not yet commenced, and may never commence for this issue.
A pilot strike is not a legal option in response to the Company’s current motion to terminate the defined benefit plan through the bankruptcy court, and is in no way authorized or imminent at US Airways.
The MEC has taken action to protect our pilots’ rights under the RLA. The MEC is challenging any Company conception that it can unilaterally impose a follow-on pension plan onto the pilot group. The right to engage in collective bargaining under the Act is fundamental to the MEC’s legal position in its objection to the Company’s motion to terminate the pilots’ pension plan.
As directed by the MEC''s resolution of January 29, in addition to taking appropriate legal action to object to a plan termination and exploring all other appropriate avenues, the MEC directed that all appropriate ALPA resources and committees be activated in response to the Company’s actions. The Strike Preparedness Committee was activated to assist in communication activity and to prepare for any collective bargaining needs. Members of the committee are currently handing out educational materials in the crew rooms in response to the Company’s efforts to use the chief pilots office to promote its alternative pilot pension plan to pilots in the crew rooms prior to any negotiations being authorized.
The Company testified on Monday that it is willing to negotiate with ALPA on the pension issue. The MEC has maintained its legal challenge against the Company’s motion to terminate the defined benefit plan, and has been assessing for some time whether management would negotiate in a manner that would produce meaningful results for our pilots, including preserving our already-earned pension benefits.
Item 2. The MEC will reconvene its special meeting at 12 noon on Thursday, February 27, at the Marriott Crystal Gateway to consider the pension issue. The telephone number for transportation information is 703-920-3230. Please be advised that portions of the meeting will be in closed session.
Item 3. The bankruptcy court hearing on the Company’s motion to terminate the pilots’ defined benefit plan will reconvene on Friday, February 28, at 9:30 a.m. This is expected to be the final court hearing date on this issue. MEC members, officers, and committee members are planning to attend the hearing in uniform. Your MEC representatives are encouraging pilots to also attend in uniform to help the parties and the public recognize how important this issue is to our pilot group. The location of the hearing is:
Court Room One
US Bankruptcy Court
200 S. Washington Street
Alexandria, Va.
For those pilots flying to DCA on Friday for the continuation of the hearing, transportation to the courthouse will be provided. A shuttle bus will begin picking up pilots from Reagan National Airport at approximately 8:45 a.m. Friday morning, departing from the crew room concourse, lower level, baggage claim, door 12. The bus will shuttle hourly between National Airport and the courthouse in Alexandria, Va., until 1 p.m., and then will provide transportation to the airport as needed.
Please remember we have 1,827 pilots on furlough.
This is Roy Freundlich with a US Airways MEC update for Wednesday, February 26, with three new items:
Item 1. There has been some recent media speculation concerning US Airways pilots utilizing the self-help provisions of the Railway Labor Act (RLA) in response to the possibility that the Company would impose a defined contribution plan. It is important to understand that any self-help actions, such as a strike, can only be administered if the Union and the Company have met the strict and restrictive conditions required by the RLA. At this time, the long and drawn-out regulatory process that needs to be utilized under RLA has not yet commenced, and may never commence for this issue.
A pilot strike is not a legal option in response to the Company’s current motion to terminate the defined benefit plan through the bankruptcy court, and is in no way authorized or imminent at US Airways.
The MEC has taken action to protect our pilots’ rights under the RLA. The MEC is challenging any Company conception that it can unilaterally impose a follow-on pension plan onto the pilot group. The right to engage in collective bargaining under the Act is fundamental to the MEC’s legal position in its objection to the Company’s motion to terminate the pilots’ pension plan.
As directed by the MEC''s resolution of January 29, in addition to taking appropriate legal action to object to a plan termination and exploring all other appropriate avenues, the MEC directed that all appropriate ALPA resources and committees be activated in response to the Company’s actions. The Strike Preparedness Committee was activated to assist in communication activity and to prepare for any collective bargaining needs. Members of the committee are currently handing out educational materials in the crew rooms in response to the Company’s efforts to use the chief pilots office to promote its alternative pilot pension plan to pilots in the crew rooms prior to any negotiations being authorized.
The Company testified on Monday that it is willing to negotiate with ALPA on the pension issue. The MEC has maintained its legal challenge against the Company’s motion to terminate the defined benefit plan, and has been assessing for some time whether management would negotiate in a manner that would produce meaningful results for our pilots, including preserving our already-earned pension benefits.
Item 2. The MEC will reconvene its special meeting at 12 noon on Thursday, February 27, at the Marriott Crystal Gateway to consider the pension issue. The telephone number for transportation information is 703-920-3230. Please be advised that portions of the meeting will be in closed session.
Item 3. The bankruptcy court hearing on the Company’s motion to terminate the pilots’ defined benefit plan will reconvene on Friday, February 28, at 9:30 a.m. This is expected to be the final court hearing date on this issue. MEC members, officers, and committee members are planning to attend the hearing in uniform. Your MEC representatives are encouraging pilots to also attend in uniform to help the parties and the public recognize how important this issue is to our pilot group. The location of the hearing is:
Court Room One
US Bankruptcy Court
200 S. Washington Street
Alexandria, Va.
For those pilots flying to DCA on Friday for the continuation of the hearing, transportation to the courthouse will be provided. A shuttle bus will begin picking up pilots from Reagan National Airport at approximately 8:45 a.m. Friday morning, departing from the crew room concourse, lower level, baggage claim, door 12. The bus will shuttle hourly between National Airport and the courthouse in Alexandria, Va., until 1 p.m., and then will provide transportation to the airport as needed.
Please remember we have 1,827 pilots on furlough.
53 AM supercruiser wrote: 
