Us Airways Negotiations: 12 Angry Men

[nycbusdriver]

As a member of another group in the company we have a hard time following your procedures, committees and such. Please explain to me if there are 7 who are per say "not hardliners" and are willing to send the trash out to all the pilots for a vote...then does that not overrule 5 people on the other side of the fence. Some of us are not "in the know" Thank you

[post="173247"][/post]​

On most issues, a roll call vote can be invoked. In that case, each base rep gets as many votes as there are pilots in his base in that job category. For instance, the PHL First Officer rep wields the most roll call votes because PHL is the largest base and he represents First Officers and International Relief Officers...probably about 700 votes on a roll call. On the other hand, LGA is a tiny base by comparison and the LGA First Officer Rep likely wields about 50 votes on a roll call. My numbers may be way off, but you get the idea. In effect, the large PHL and PIT bases have more than half the pilots on the system, so their 4 reps can override the other 8 reps from CLT and the other relatively tiny bases of LGA, DCA and BOS. The BOS Captain Rep, btw, often aligns his roll call vote with the PHL and PIT reps.

 

[USA320Pilot]

At today's MEC meeting Boston Captain Rep Mike Swiatkowski just broke ranks with the RC4/5 and has joined the other 7 MEC Reps. The MEC Officers, every advisor, and the NC have stated that either the RC4 eliminate all negotiating restrictions or the union has two choices: send out the terrible company proposal for vote or do nothing and fail.

The debate continues in closed session.

The major issue is that the RC4 and probably people like Mwereplanes are unprepared for retirement and they want to keep their pay as high as possible and keep the DC Plan. The problem, the union is somewhere between $80 to $100 million short of the company's target.

Without a TA, the RC4 and people like Mwereplanes will lose about 67% of their DC Plan with the company's proposal and possibly even worse -- the whole DC Plan.

Respectfully,

USA320Pilot

 

[LGA Fleet Service]

320's never met a concession plan he didn't like...

 

[networking]

Beginning to see a clearer picture...thanks

 

[savyinvestor]

Some folks never cease to amaze me. Not saying anyone in particular I'll leave that up to the reader. Savy

 

[USA320Pilot]

The 8 aligned MEC members forced the MEC meeting to go into "open session" and the 4 RC4 "hardliners" do not like it.

Here's a synopis of what's happening:

The MEC is now split with 8 Reps supporting a resolution charging the NC to obtain a deal with the company with no restrictions, but the Pittsburgh & Philadelphia Reps are standing firm so far that any deal would require no less than a 10% DC Plan cut.

ALPA’s principal legal advisor Mike Abram, from Cohen, Weiss, and Simon was asked “what are the risks of not reaching an agreement?

(Paraphrased) Without a deal I believe we will go into S.1113E process, which will affect wages and the prospects will be significantly worse. There are other stakeholders involved that will put significant restraints on management concerning your pay and work rules. They might have to reshape the company in order to get financial investors. They would have to put very, very, very streamlined pay and work rules. If no agreement is reached, the possibility of exiting bankruptcy is diminished. Is it a better deal to go into bankruptcy without a deal? No! The pressure is on us in bankruptcy. Do members have a right to vote on there future? If it is the view of the MEC that the members should be consulted on their future that time is nearly coming to an end. The conditions facing the company gives them very little time. We have arrived at that moment.

Then the same questions were asked of ALPA’s investment banker Michael Glanzer.

Glanzer said, (Paraphrased) “If you do not come to an agreement. Whatever is on the table will be worse. YOU CANNOT ASSUME that the fleet size would remain the same. The investors would want a program that would cut the airline to bare bones, and you will become the lowest cost carrier around. Because the ATSB and investors want concrete guarantees that they will get their money back. The ATSB couldn't care less if the airline survives in the long term. The investors :ATSB, GE, etc. can decide that they just want their money now and just liquidate. There are NO new investors. Keep testing the company on a lower level of give other than the $295 million is not going to work. The reality of the marketplace is Oil at $45 a barrel.

Then Glanzer was asked if the MEC sends the Negotiating Committee back into negotiations with restrictions that the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia MEC Reps desire (no further DC Plan changes) can we get an agreement?

Glanzer’s answer: "NO!"

Then one of the 8 MEC members now in agreement gave a very good explanation on the current situation - starting with the gutting of the NC against the views of every ALPA advisor, the MEC officers, the ALPA president, and the majority of the MEC. Next he discussed the events of the past few weeks and with that Pittsburgh Captain Fred Freshwater got up and left room telling a MEC Rep that he was not going to take his BS.

The debate continues and the issue is this: send the NC into negotiations to cut a deal that provides $295 in cost cuts or do nothing. If nothing is done and the company enters bankruptcy without a deal with ALPA, the advisors believe US Airways become much smaller and with a much worse contract.

In my opinion, the union's and in ALPA's case the RC4 are now leading the way for the death of US Airways.

Respectfully,

USA320Pilot

P.S. One NC just left the meeting in protest because the RC4 are trying to put restrictions on the process. Nobody knows where he went...

 

[careerfurloughee]

P.S. One NC just left the meeting in protest because the RC4 are trying to put restrictions on the process. Nobody knows where he went...

[post="173294"][/post]​

Jet Blue?

 

[oldiebutgoody]

Maybe he went to the bathroom, so that he could come up with "a better agreement".

 

[mwereplanes]

Can you sense the panic?

The 4 are doing PRECISELY what their constituents want them to do.

Notice how he frames it as "the 4" and not what it truly is: The Majority.

Even without the BOS rep it is still: The Majority.

This guy is too easy. Truly childlike and scared beyond sanity. He WANTS to give away the DC plan. He WANTS to accept what is on the table. My guess is he'd give his own children away if they asked for them.

HE WANTS HIS JOB! AT ANY COST! PATHETIC!

mr

 

[700UW]

It is better to die with dignity then to live your life in fear.

 

[sfb]

ALPA’s investment banker Michael Glanzer.

Do tell us, USA320Pilot, who pays Mr. Glanzer's salary/consulting fees? How was he selected as "ALPA's investment banker," and what qualifications does he bring to the job. What is his track record in investment banking, and with which firm is/was he associated?

The major issue is that the RC4 and probably people like Mwereplanes are unprepared for retirement and they want to keep their pay as high as possible and keep the DC Plan.

Do tell us why many US Airways pilots might be unprepared for retirement. Could it perhaps be related to the termination of the pilots' pensions last year?

Look, it is patently obvious that the company is going into bankruptcy, and this is largely just an exercise in going through the motions. September 15 is 19 days away (and only 13 are business days), the company has zero ratified concessions agreements, and there is simply not enough time for management to ratchet up pressure on CWA, AFA, and the IAM. The "11.13 letter" isn't worth the paper it's printed on if the company can convince the judge that further concessions are needed for the company to survive.

And even in that situation, I'm unconvinced that the company can survive an inevitable strike by the IAM when the company attempts to impose a new contract on that union. I wouldn't be suprised if AFA and the CWA struck as well.

In any case, some of the pilots must truly be desperate if they're willing to swallow the company's proposal. Amendable in 2012 with bottom-of-the-industry wages and retirement? You'd probably be better off leaving and going anywhere else -- and maybe that's management's goal.

 

[mwereplanes]

One cannot reason with fear sfb. And fear defines 320. For someone who has said he is prepared for our demise I sure do hear fear and panic in his keystrokes.

He is not prepared. If he was he wouldn't be hanging on every word of what's going on in DCA today. Nor would he be willing to give up whatever is asked of him in order to keep his job.

mr

 

[CaptianBoomer]

Folks,

It is readily apparent to me that the PLAN all along is to go into Ch. 11. The pilots of U could work for free and this company would still go into the BK and ask the judge to make the pilots pay for their job...

Know this. U is going to file. No amount of hand wringing or worrying will stop this. The only if is if u comes out of BK. They will with new investors who will see what the company has wrought, which is every labor agreement set aside, with the following. Even Bronner will invest money in U when this is over.

No cleaners, fewer mechanics, ramp workers assigned to multiple gates at lower wages, and fewer pilots and f/a's as the company shrinks down to the airbus/757/767 fleet. Then U has a chance to rebuild at much lower costs and possibly has a future.

Boomer

 

[seeking the truth]

[
In my opinion, the union's and in ALPA's case the RC4 are now leading the way for the death of US Airways.

Respectfully,

USA320Pilot

You are finally getting to the truth "chip". IT'S NOT THE PILOTS FAULT, NC, OR ANY OTHER UNIONS FAULT. The management of this company will FINALLY have to answer to it's stakeholders and creditors, period. If the company doesn't exit bankruptcy this time ultimately the blame will fall to labor shoulders.

But the reality is the management of this company has had it's chances to turn this airline around and couldn't due to a lack of leadership !!!

respectfully,

seeking the truth

 

[mwereplanes]

You don't have to seek the truth friend.

You already know it.

mr