US Airways Pilots Say Strike an Option

[wts54]

Reuters
US Airways Pilots Say Strike an Option
Monday February 24, 9:50 pm ET
By John Crawley
ALEXANDRIA (Reuters) - Pilots at US Airways Group Inc (OTC BB:UAWGQ.OB - News) are laying the groundwork for a potential strike if the company replaces their current pension plan with a cheaper one over their objections, and other options to challenge that action fail, union leaders said on Monday.

http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/030224/airlines_us...s_pilots_1.html

 

[savyinvestor]

Strike? $100,000 pension/bankrupt=oxymoron Savy

 

[chipmunn]

When ALPA bankruptcy attorney Richard Seltzer cross-examined Neal Cohen and those in attendance in the court room found about the $35 million bonus payments to Wolf, Gangwal, and Nagin, along with the new management compensation plan left blank in the Disclosure Statement, the pilot anger in the court room ratcheted up unlike ever before.

A strike is definitely an option and Siegel is on the verge of losing all ALPA support, maybe forever. After the hearing the MEC and pilots in attendance where seething, the parties are now farther apart, a strike is now more likely than ever, and as one MEC member told me "this is now more than about money."

What's interesting is that when human beings get emotional, all rational decision making is gone...but, make no mistake about it, a large portion of the the pilot group has had it.

Chip

 

[mrplanes]

Cool off Piney? Cool off? The light of day is starting to shine on this group of "just call me Dave's". And what it is revealing - and about to reveal - may very well put some people in JAIL.

These guys have no more intention of running this airline than Michael Jackson does. And we are about to make certain the whole world knows it. As I said before, someon has underestimated the resolve and intelligence of this pilot group. Including many on this forum.

You ain't seen nothin yet.

mr

 

[Upsgnr]

mr-

I haven't heard anything constructive from the labor groups on how to make USairways profitable, it's all finger-pointing, blaming management, Dave's fault or Dave's problem, management is a bunch of crooks.

The lesson would seem to be, stay out of bankruptcy and negotiate the huge givebacks out of bankruptcy! Be prepared to take that bitter pill while your hands aren't tied by the B-courts. A lot of people thought Dave was just bluffing when he said he was going take the airline into Chapter 11.

"He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day".

 

[usfliboi]

Again i think we all need to be calm . Im sure alpa members are upset no doubt but only approx 8o active pilots showed up for the court hearing and numerous retired pilots. There is no doubt this is a hot button issue, but should be don "in house" The final usage of a possible strike is far far away, anwere not in any dnager of a strike i think this year . Alpa spokesman said that a strike was not immenant and only said it was a tool that couldnt be used at this time.

 

[wings396]

[blockquote]
----------------
On 2/25/2003 148 AM chipmunn wrote:


A strike is definitely an option and Siegel is on the verge of losing all ALPA support, maybe forever. After the hearing the MEC and pilots in attendance where seething, the parties are now farther apart, a strike is now more likely than ever, and as one MEC member told me "this is now more than about money."

What's interesting is that when human beings get emotional, all rational decision making is gone...but, make no mistake about it, a large portion of the the pilot group has had it.

Chip
----------------
[/blockquote]
Maybe the large portion you speak of are in your circle. I can understand the pension issue, but I am hard pressed to see anyone throwing away a high paying job over it. Let's see a high paying job with a stripped pension, or no job, no income and no pension. It shouldn't take a professor to figure that one out. I have spoken to several in your group and all are upset about the issue, but still realize that they won't be able to get back to their current pay levels if they strike and cause the company to liquidate. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot Chip.If you are that fed up with it all, look for something else that is better for you and leave this company behind. I don't like what I have lost either, but know that a strike would do nothing in this environment. Your group is the only one that can even concern itself with a pension as the rest of us just want to survive and keep our homes. Retirement is far off on the back burner for us.

 

[chipmunn]

Wings396:

I was with MEC members until midnight last night and trust me, when one pragmatic MEC member said "this is more than about money", the potential for a full-scale war between the company and ALPA is not an understatement.

I can assure you ALPA’s rank-and-file strongly objects to having their pension plan terminated when management has purposely not disclosed their new compensation plan in the Disclosure Statement and three former executives are paid a $35 million severance bonus, after leaving employment, just before the company files for bankruptcy.

You should have seen the faces of my colleagues when this was announced yesterday.

There are creative ways to fix this problem, but ALPA will not stand for inequities, regardless of the consequences.

There is no pilot who loves this airline more than I, nobody wants to see the company and its employees prosper, or who understands the sentiment of the pilot group better than me.

The reason I went to yesterday's hearing was not to watch the proceedings, but to gauge ALPA's sentiment, which yesterday became much more militant.

Chip

 

[Winglet]

Sounds like Siegel and his cohorts are making sure they bleed the company while it's still got some blood. It sure doesn't sound like they're interested in running an airline.

 

[L1011Ret]

35 million to an to three execs for an airline in bankruptcy is unconscionable. In fact outrageous! On the other hand people usually strike to get a better outcome. However, in this case striking may well lead to Chapter 7. It seems to me stupid to strike when you are going to make things worse. They may feel lkie doing so and I understand that but acting it out might be a disaster.

 

[savyinvestor]

[blockquote]
----------------
On 2/25/2003 148 AM chipmunn wrote:

When ALPA bankruptcy attorney Richard Seltzer cross-examined Neal Cohen and those in attendance in the court room found about the $35 million bonus payments to Wolf, Gangwal, and Nagin, along with the new management compensation plan left blank in the Disclosure Statement, the pilot anger in the court room ratcheted up unlike ever before.

A strike is definitely an option and Siegel is on the verge of losing all ALPA support, maybe forever. After the hearing the MEC and pilots in attendance where seething, the parties are now farther apart, a strike is now more likely than ever, and as one MEC member told me "this is now more than about money."

What's interesting is that when human beings get emotional, all rational decision making is gone...but, make no mistake about it, a large portion of the the pilot group has had it.

Chip
----------------
[/blockquote]
I doubt Siegel is losing any sleep over the MEC's anger. He will still get his bonuses and Bronner will pick up his toys and go home. If the company was worried about it they wouldn't be doing what their doing. Savy

 

[repeet]

[blockquote]
----------------
On 2/25/2003 148 AM
chipmunn wrote:

When ALPA bankruptcy attorney Richard Seltzer cross-examined Neal Cohen and those in attendance in the court room found about the $35 million bonus payments to Wolf, Gangwal, and Nagin, along with the new management compensation plan left blank in the Disclosure Statement.
----------------
[/blockquote]
Disclosure Statement left blank?

My fellow mechanics and I gave too much to let this type of thing happen. Most of us are scrambling to sell off assets in order to "right size" our budgets to match our new, diminished, lifestyle.

Realizing that we cannot live as well as our auto mechanic (that we can no longer afford) is devastating enough. But then to find out about those we "trusted" profiting handsomely from our sacrifice is intolerable.

Since we are already fending off creditors, and having to sell off our homes; ok Pilots, let's go ahead and strike!

 

[repeet]

[blockquote]
----------------
On 2/25/2003 11:59:50 AM
MiAAmi wrote:

Why keep chipping away at everyone.
----------------
[/blockquote]
Hey, is that a pun?

 

[whatkindoffreshhell]

[blockquote]
----------------
On 2/25/2003 11:59:50 AM MiAAmi wrote:

It might be a disaster at first but the satisfaction that they stood together and said NO! will be inspiring to all their colleauges for times to come. No one wants to see US go under but things couldn't look any worse for them. Why keep chipping away at everyone, be done with it. God bless and Good luck to you all.
----------------
[/blockquote]


--- from the book "Thoughts of Charlie Bryan"

 

[savyinvestor]

[blockquote]
----------------
On 2/25/2003 10:40:42 AM Winglet wrote:

Sounds like Siegel and his cohorts are making sure they bleed the company while it's still got some blood. It sure doesn't sound like they're interested in running an airline.
----------------
[/blockquote]
Good observation. It apperas they will get what they want on their terms or the game is over. Savy