US Pilots Labor Discussion

[cleardirect]

We HAVE objectively weighed our chances. 100% to be exact. There IS no "chances". The best you'll get is DOH with conditions and restrictions. PERIOD.

You cannot have what DIDN'T get voted for. If that were otherwise, we wouldn't have court cases. We'd have a seniority list NOW and in operations.

In FACT Parker even said that at the PHX crew news...we are where we are BECAUSE we have NO JCBA! They cannot impose ANY CBA without a JCBA. What's preventing it? Ultimately, a ratification vote in the end.

The overwhelming majority of pilots on the East KNOW they have a DUTY AND OBLIGATION to honor the commitments made under OUR CBA over that of the transition agreement. Those NO LONGER FURLOUGHED EAST pilots had then and now have every right to voice and VOTE their OWN SELF INTEREST when it comes to furlough and recall regardless of the good standing provisions of the CBA. Since they are all back on the property their vote has full force and effert because they are now back employed.

In fact, what are the real new hire pilots to expect if and when another merger comes about to short shrift them of THEIR years of service/DOH? Will THEY be complicite to accept that they are "children of a lessor god" (this meaning YOU AND ME) or will they revolt? You keep trying to explain to us why WE are worth less then you. Try explaining that to the new hires. DOH means nothing to them if it means nothing to you. Let's see if the furloughed United pilots are willing to roll over and take it where the sun doesn't shine OR they decide to SUE under LMRDA for their rights for a voice AND a vote.

ALPA unfortunately forgot THOSE provisions under LMRDA and I, along with the overwhelming majority of East pilots legally support and have a duty to support those PREVIOUSLY negotiated provisions of the East CBA OVER a legally flawed position that ALPA provided. A provision, mind you, that had an even LESS chance of acceptance under ALPA merger policy with the separate ratification voting provisions then we have now. Even the Ninth Circuit recognized that.

The ONLY "failed" strategy I observe now is the PHX domiciled pilots lamenting to Doug that somehow he should DISCIPLINE his "errant children" in the other domicles for "bad behavior".

When I watch the PHX crew news I keep asking the real question:

"Who's YOU'RE daddy NOW?" (Hint: not USAPA, that's for sure.)

Would these be the same odds makers that predicted the arbitrator could come back with nothing but DOH/LOS? So you 100% sure no chance. You are in for some disappointment. Even the west understands that there is a small amount of risk when things are given to the court.

I am confused by your logic train. So if we merge with UAL or AA, they have furloughs with several years of DOH. Are you going to tell the new hires and east pilots with less LOS that you support bringing back UAL or AA furloughed pilots senior to working US Airways pilots? Really? Please make that very clear to those same guys you are counting on to keep separate ops so you can get your upgrade before leaving under LOA 93 and why you are keeping new hires on LOA 93.

BTW we don't think your career is worth less than ours. We know you think your career is worth more than it is really worth.

In 1981 a new Caddy was worth a lot of money. Today not so much.

 

[767one]

Many processes in life (if not all) are irreversible. Once out, toothpaste won't find its way back into the tube.

Very well said luvn.

Aqua,

It depends on how bad you want the toothpaste back in the tube, necessity is the mother of invention.

Regards,

Bob

 

[767jetz]

So if we merge with UAL or AA, they have furloughs with several years of DOH. Are you going to tell the new hires and east pilots with less LOS that you support bringing back UAL or AA furloughed pilots senior to working US Airways pilots? Really? Please make that very clear to those same guys you are counting on to keep separate ops so you can get your upgrade before leaving under LOA 93 and why you are keeping new hires on LOA 93.

Aside from their obvious tactic of delay for those few upgrades here and there, and getting their furloughs back ahead of active west pilots, there are two things many of them are banking on, that they rarely dare speak of.

One is that they seem to believe that if this dispute is resolved by the courts one day, it will be too late to un-do what they've already claimed by force. In other words, they think "no bump - no flush" will keep them in their stolen positions. They don't understand that if they are guilty of DFR, then a court can very easily put them back where they belong as part of the remedy for damages.

Second is that they always thought another merger was around the corner, and a new snap shot would protect them in their current position outside of the Nicolau Award. They don't understand that a potential suitor will require a pre-merger resolution of the seniority dispute, and that resolution will be in the form of the Nic. I don't know about APA, but does anyone think for a NY minute that ALPA would not insist that the certified lists of each airline be based on any previous binding arbitration?

They have maneuvered themselves into a corner, and every door they hoped would lead them to the promised land has been closed in their face. Time will tell, and unfortunately for those stuck with them like a ball and chain, that time will drag on for quite some time. But they will eventually be forced one way or another to sleep in the bed they have made. There will never be a DOH list in a combined US Airways. It will be separate ops and LOA 93 for the east, or Nic with a better contract for all, or possibly even liquidation. But not DOH or LOS for that matter.

 

[end_of_alpa]

Aside from their obvious tactic of delay for those few upgrades here and there, and getting their furloughs back ahead of active west pilots, there are two things many of them are banking on, that they rarely dare speak of.

One is that they seem to believe that if this dispute is resolved by the courts one day, it will be too late to un-do what they've already claimed by force. In other words, they think "no bump - no flush" will keep them in their stolen positions. They don't understand that if they are guilty of DFR, then a court can very easily put them back where they belong as part of the remedy for damages.

Second is that they always thought another merger was around the corner, and a new snap shot would protect them in their current position outside of the Nicolau Award. They don't understand that a potential suitor will require a pre-merger resolution of the seniority dispute, and that resolution will be in the form of the Nic. I don't know about APA, but does anyone think for a NY minute that ALPA would not insist that the certified lists of each airline be based on any previous binding arbitration?

They have maneuvered themselves into a corner, and every door they hoped would lead them to the promised land has been closed in their face. Time will tell, and unfortunately for those stuck with them like a ball and chain, that time will drag on for quite some time. But they will eventually be forced one way or another to sleep in the bed they have made. There will never be a DOH list in a combined US Airways. It will be separate ops and LOA 93 for the east, or Nic with a better contract for all, or possibly even liquidation. But not DOH or LOS for that matter.

Not sure why a UAL pilot cares abiut us, however all I can say in response is:

in your dreams. You wouldn't recognize a legal precep anymore than you would having a "dog in this fight".

I vote. You don't.

Good luck with your contract.

 

[Barrister]

Would these be the same odds makers that predicted the arbitrator could come back with nothing but DOH/LOS? So you 100% sure no chance. You are in for some disappointment. Even the west understands that there is a small amount of risk when things are given to the court.

I am confused by your logic train. So if we merge with UAL or AA, they have furloughs with several years of DOH. Are you going to tell the new hires and east pilots with less LOS that you support bringing back UAL or AA furloughed pilots senior to working US Airways pilots? Really? Please make that very clear to those same guys you are counting on to keep separate ops so you can get your upgrade before leaving under LOA 93 and why you are keeping new hires on LOA 93.

BTW we don't think your career is worth less than ours. We know you think your career is worth more than it is really worth.

In 1981 a new Caddy was worth a lot of money. Today not so much.

If a furloughed UAL guy gets recalled and his LOS is longer than a East capt......he doesn't bump the East/West guy but he does take
his rightful place in the LOS line....DAMN STRAIGHT....and he gets the next Capt seat on the next bid if no one SENIOR to
him wants it.

NICDOA
NPJB

 

[end_of_alpa]

Would these be the same odds makers that predicted the arbitrator could come back with nothing but DOH/LOS? So you 100% sure no chance. You are in for some disappointment. Even the west understands that there is a small amount of risk when things are given to the court.

I was one of the pilots that advocated the East MEC wholely reject participation in ALPA merger policy. I warned the CLT reps that arbitrations generally harm the pilot workforce in general (arbitration history favors the company) and arbitrative provisions in intra-union affairs is a relatively new concept with ALPA (last twenty years or so) so they can continue revenue generation by invoking a so-called "neutral" provision to continue to represent the two parties. Unfortunately for them it backfired here. Almost every other RLA union advocates DOH in their Constitutions. ALPA pilots are better than normal organized labor and are therefore exempt from contempt and ridicule.

Certainly every endeavor involves some form of risk or risk management. We're extremely comfortable with our risk exposure (little to none, considering the Ninth ruling). From my observations from the PHX crew news session, you and your's....not so much.

I am confused by your logic train. So if we merge with UAL or AA, they have furloughs with several years of DOH. Are you going to tell the new hires and east pilots with less LOS that you support bringing back UAL or AA furloughed pilots senior to working US Airways pilots? Really? Please make that very clear to those same guys you are counting on to keep separate ops so you can get your upgrade before leaving under LOA 93 and why you are keeping new hires on LOA 93.

Your confusion has been apparent to most of us for quite sometime.

Actually, yes. In principle, with proper fences and protections, that should not be a problem. However, the better and more logical solution would be where all commerically viable pilots (pilots with aspirations to fly for remuneration) be organized under one union and pilots would bid and be assigned where to go to work without any company interference. In short, there would only be ALPA-United, ALPA-Delta, ALPA-Southwest, and so on. However, the reality is pilots compete with pilots. Some wish for quicker advancement than others. Some are willing to roll the dice, work for JetBlue or Virgin America to gain future advancement in lessor time. Oh the wonderful world of competition. I didn't vote for LOA 93. I fully admit I was an objector against ALPA after about the time we lost the pension AND then Delta pilots thought they were better than us by believing we'd take one for the "gipper" so they could survive. Of course, we'd get preferrential hiring treatment from them. Better to rule in hell, if you ask the overwhelming majority of east pilots.

BTW we don't think your career is worth less than ours. We know you think your career is worth more than it is really worth.

In 1981 a new Caddy was worth a lot of money. Today not so much.

Only time will tell what any of our individual and/or collective true worth actually becomes. The PHX crew news displays the concept that "cutting ones nose off to spite their face" could not ring more true. Keep up the "good" work.

A 2000 new hire America West Pilot was promised a lot of money. Today not so much.

What will the market bring tommorrow?

Good luck.

 

[CactusPilot1]

THE HOSTAGE EDITION

Charlotte Domicile Special Update
Status Quo

On Friday May 27, 2011 at 1400 hours your Union filed a lawsuit against US Airways Management for continued abuses and violations of past practices and changes in the Status Quo. It is not a secret that every time we come to work something has changed, whether it be ACARS pay procedures, manual insertion of incorrect times, or FOM changes designed to limit your Captain's Authority and adjust your work environment from long standing practices. Management is clearly attempting to move the company back to the dark ages of aviation with their new techniques of reintroducing the Frank Lorenzo methods of Safety Culture. These policies include intimidation, fear, and using the Jerry Glass "Triple D" methodology of controlling your employees - document, discipline, and dismiss. These unacceptable management tools and policies violate every moral and ethical principal of SMS and not only create the flawed Safety Culture noted by Dr. Terri van Thaden but are indicative of the changes in the status quo of our airline since the merger. Imagine any of the airline's former management groups behaving in the manner we are witnessing today. Even Stephen Wolf knew not to tamper with pay, work rules, and most importantly employee morale in his attempts to outsource our airline. The changes we have witnessed since 2005 has been like dealing with the punks in the school yard who attempted to rule through fear and intimidation. Attempting to use intimidation to manage professionals and their decisions to operate beyond the bounds of common sense and safety is, in and of itself, the very definition of a safety culture in crisis.

One thing we do know is that Doug Parker and his minions cannot fly jets and they appear clueless as to the intricacies of the relationship between machine, man, and human factors in our professional environment. For them to continue to attempt to intimidate pilots through their flawed policies, corporate attitudes, and lack of concern for the safety culture of our airline is clearly operating outside the envelope and in an environment we have never seen on this property in past administrations. This in itself is a defined change in the Status Quo.

Hostages have Been Taken

To further illustrate the changes in management philosophies one has only to look at the 2008 "fuel school incident" created by our illustrious management team as, up until now, the most glaring example of Team Tempe's lack of concern for our profession. At that time none of us had ever seen the likes of one of our Captains (let alone 8) being brought in and questioned as to how much fuel they required for their flight. Not only a contradiction of the FOM, Company Policy and Procedures, as well as the FARs, management's attempted hostage taking of these 8 pilots was an example of Team Tempe modeling their management style after the tyranny of the old Chinese judicial system - shoot a few to educate the rest - in order to keep the masses in line. This failed strategy was met with strong resistance by your union along with your resolve, yet they continue to attempt to find new ways to introduce intimidation into our workplace. Their attempts to single out specific targets with the hopes of forcing flawed policies and behaviors into our cockpits must be met with equal resistance. We must all stand together and once again demonstrate to US Airways' management, our passengers, and the regulators of our industry that Management's behavior and lack of concern for our Safety Culture will not be tolerated.

Once again Management is attempting to cross the line: on Tuesday May 31, 2011 at 1400 the Tempe bullies have ordered our Charlotte Chief pilots to bring in 4 of our Captains to the airport for a meeting regarding Al Hemmingway's recently referenced "minor discrepancies" letter to Mike Cleary. The history begins as follows: At approximately 1500 on Tuesday May 24 Captain McKee received a phone call from one of the affected pilots regarding a call from an Assistant Chief Pilot to a scheduled hearing. During that conversation no details were given other than that a hearing was to be held either the following Friday or Tuesday and USAPA was informed. The real facts: USAPA was not informed until Chairman McKee was contacted during this same phone call (call waiting and switched over) at 1600 by Captain Pate that 4 pilots were being called in for a hearing. When questioned as to the nature of the hearings as well as the specific topic to be discussed Captain Pate informed Captain McKee that he was not sure yet and was directed to notify the pilots as well as the union of the meetings. Pressing Captain Pate for specific events, flight numbers, days, as well as events leading to this notification it became very apparent that those in Tempe who ordered the hearings were not yet sure what to pursue and how to proceed; their only direction was the bring in the named parties. To his credit, Captain Pate stated he would have to get back to us on the nature of the events as well as the topics of discussion when he was brought into the loop by upper management.

As of this writing, we have only been informed that 2 of the Captains will be questioned about FDML write ups specific to the FAR requirement of secured crash axe brackets in the cockpit of the Airbus. The third Captain is being brought in to question his request to have maintenance fully service his oxygen that was less than 1000 psi prior to departure on the SFO redeye, and we have yet to hear why they need to bring in the most senior Captain. Can you say "witch hunt"???

Other than fuel school, at no time in the history of US Airways has any Captain been questioned on his judgment to enhance safety to meet or exceed the standards of our operation. At no time has any Captain been summoned to the Chief Pilot's office to discuss vague items without specific examples or a description of the events. At no time has any pilot been subjected to this amount of stress and pressure based on conjecture and unknown circumstances and at no time have your Representative ever been left with the "wait and see what sticks" and "we will tell you later" philosophy of conducting a hearing.

The hearings begin at 1400 on Tuesday May 31 and we must stand together with these hostages to not only protect to them but to stand up for the honor of our profession against these flawed management practices. We need to send a message to Tempe that their intimidation and behavior will not be tolerated by our pilot group and most importantly we must all stand beside our brother pilots who are being used as scapegoats by flight department management to keep the rest of you in line. We look forward to this righteous battle and look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday at 1330.

Final Thoughts

Each of us being on board is the requirement to effect the changes in the flawed safety culture of our airline and get our Safety Culture back into the green. We must all employ the Volant Model of Threat and Error management techniques to assure not only our cockpits but our work environment remain in the green at all times. Once we have established and recognized a threat, we must all exercise extreme caution using our problem solving skills to bring our environment back from the red or yellow into the green. Make no mistake, the stress and pressure that are being placed on all of us by this management are indeed threats to the safety of our airline and specifically our work environment, the cockpit. Isolating our pilots for discipline for the purpose of "education" adds significantly to the stress levels of our Safety Culture. We have an opportunity to move US Airways Safety Culture from the Red to the Green and it will require that each one of us to make a conscience decision - you are either on board with the goals and direction of your union or you are on board with Team Tempe's way of managing your work environment and professional judgment. We all know what it is like to work in a friendly, team spirited, as well as a stress free work environment. We need to reclaim that environment and move Team Tempe to accept the green they teach rather than push us into the yellow and red which they practice. Being on board means we will leave no soldiers behind; they take one of us, they take us all and, most importantly, that we maintain control of our threat environment and always keep it in the "green" to protect all they attempt to intimidate.

Tuesday Management is attempting to move us all to the red by taking Captains Hank Ratliff, Mike Gearing, Rick Taylor, and Tom Jellar as hostages in their campaign to intimidate and control US Airways pilots. We must stand together to protect and defend not only these pilots but the profession we have so proudly chosen.

Remember it is your duty regardless of management intimidation techniques to always keep it in the green; we must all focus on meeting or exceeding all US Airways Safety Standards and protecting all that are counting on our judgment, experience, and Captains Authority. Thank you all for being on board in protecting the safety and integrity of our airline and profession.

Be Safe out there; see you Tuesday as we stand up for the 4 hostages they have chosen!

 

[700UW]

The status quo only applies to the CBA, the company can change their policies and procedures anytime they want as long as it doesnt interfere with the CBA.

 

[767one]

I was one of the pilots that advocated the East MEC wholely reject participation in ALPA merger policy. I warned the CLT reps that arbitrations generally harm the pilot workforce in general (arbitration history favors the company) and arbitrative provisions in intra-union affairs is a relatively new concept with ALPA (last twenty years or so) so they can continue revenue generation by invoking a so-called "neutral" provision to continue to represent the two parties. Unfortunately for them it backfired here. Almost every other RLA union advocates DOH in their Constitutions. ALPA pilots are better than normal organized labor and are therefore exempt from contempt and ridicule.

Certainly every endeavor involves some form of risk or risk management. We're extremely comfortable with our risk exposure (little to none, considering the Ninth ruling). From my observations from the PHX crew news session, you and your's....not so much.



Your confusion has been apparent to most of us for quite sometime.

Actually, yes. In principle, with proper fences and protections, that should not be a problem. However, the better and more logical solution would be where all commerically viable pilots (pilots with aspirations to fly for remuneration) be organized under one union and pilots would bid and be assigned where to go to work without any company interference. In short, there would only be ALPA-United, ALPA-Delta, ALPA-Southwest, and so on. However, the reality is pilots compete with pilots. Some wish for quicker advancement than others. Some are willing to roll the dice, work for JetBlue or Virgin America to gain future advancement in lessor time. Oh the wonderful world of competition. I didn't vote for LOA 93. I fully admit I was an objector against ALPA after about the time we lost the pension AND then Delta pilots thought they were better than us by believing we'd take one for the "gipper" so they could survive. Of course, we'd get preferrential hiring treatment from them. Better to rule in hell, if you ask the overwhelming majority of east pilots.



Only time will tell what any of our individual and/or collective true worth actually becomes. The PHX crew news displays the concept that "cutting ones nose off to spite their face" could not ring more true. Keep up the "good" work.

A 2000 new hire America West Pilot was promised a lot of money. Today not so much.

What will the market bring tommorrow?

Good luck.

endof alpa,

Spot on!


Regards,


Bob

 

[end_of_alpa]

The status quo only applies to the CBA, the company can change their policies and procedures anytime they want as long as it doesnt interfere with the CBA.

Key words here...."as long as it doesn't interfere with the CBA." Fortunately, that's not for YOU to decide.

Most of the "pilots" that worked for the airline during your "strike" are either no longer here or the few in their waning years. You still got that "chip"? Something tells me yes.

Gook luck with your life after the airline.

 

[700UW]

Wasnt attacking anyone was just stating a fact and I bet there are lots of pilots from 92 still there.

And its not for you to decide either.

 

[CactusPilot1]

Thanks for making my point.

The statement cannot be proved. All you have is anecdotes. And we have ours, too. Proves NOTHING.

North Texas has a number of SW and American pilots who would beg to differ with you. These are my friends who are very familiar with our situation. They understand USAPA was formed with the goal to renege on an agreement. Unless you are privy to my conversations, nothing was disproved as well.

 

[767jetz]

Not sure why a UAL pilot cares abiut us,

here's a hint:

I am confused by your logic train. So if we merge with UAL or AA, they have furloughs with several years of DOH. Are you going to tell the new hires and east pilots with less LOS that you support bringing back UAL or AA furloughed pilots senior to working US Airways pilots? Really?

Any more stupid questions?

 

[767one]

THE HOSTAGE EDITION

Charlotte Domicile Special Update
Status Quo

On Friday May 27, 2011 at 1400 hours your Union filed a lawsuit against US Airways Management for continued abuses and violations of past practices and changes in the Status Quo. It is not a secret that every time we come to work something has changed, whether it be ACARS pay procedures, manual insertion of incorrect times, or FOM changes designed to limit your Captain's Authority and adjust your work environment from long standing practices. Management is clearly attempting to move the company back to the dark ages of aviation with their new techniques of reintroducing the Frank Lorenzo methods of Safety Culture. These policies include intimidation, fear, and using the Jerry Glass "Triple D" methodology of controlling your employees - document, discipline, and dismiss. These unacceptable management tools and policies violate every moral and ethical principal of SMS and not only create the flawed Safety Culture noted by Dr. Terri van Thaden but are indicative of the changes in the status quo of our airline since the merger. Imagine any of the airline's former management groups behaving in the manner we are witnessing today. Even Stephen Wolf knew not to tamper with pay, work rules, and most importantly employee morale in his attempts to outsource our airline. The changes we have witnessed since 2005 has been like dealing with the punks in the school yard who attempted to rule through fear and intimidation. Attempting to use intimidation to manage professionals and their decisions to operate beyond the bounds of common sense and safety is, in and of itself, the very definition of a safety culture in crisis.

One thing we do know is that Doug Parker and his minions cannot fly jets and they appear clueless as to the intricacies of the relationship between machine, man, and human factors in our professional environment. For them to continue to attempt to intimidate pilots through their flawed policies, corporate attitudes, and lack of concern for the safety culture of our airline is clearly operating outside the envelope and in an environment we have never seen on this property in past administrations. This in itself is a defined change in the Status Quo.

Hostages have Been Taken

To further illustrate the changes in management philosophies one has only to look at the 2008 "fuel school incident" created by our illustrious management team as, up until now, the most glaring example of Team Tempe's lack of concern for our profession. At that time none of us had ever seen the likes of one of our Captains (let alone 8) being brought in and questioned as to how much fuel they required for their flight. Not only a contradiction of the FOM, Company Policy and Procedures, as well as the FARs, management's attempted hostage taking of these 8 pilots was an example of Team Tempe modeling their management style after the tyranny of the old Chinese judicial system - shoot a few to educate the rest - in order to keep the masses in line. This failed strategy was met with strong resistance by your union along with your resolve, yet they continue to attempt to find new ways to introduce intimidation into our workplace. Their attempts to single out specific targets with the hopes of forcing flawed policies and behaviors into our cockpits must be met with equal resistance. We must all stand together and once again demonstrate to US Airways' management, our passengers, and the regulators of our industry that Management's behavior and lack of concern for our Safety Culture will not be tolerated.

Once again Management is attempting to cross the line: on Tuesday May 31, 2011 at 1400 the Tempe bullies have ordered our Charlotte Chief pilots to bring in 4 of our Captains to the airport for a meeting regarding Al Hemmingway's recently referenced "minor discrepancies" letter to Mike Cleary. The history begins as follows: At approximately 1500 on Tuesday May 24 Captain McKee received a phone call from one of the affected pilots regarding a call from an Assistant Chief Pilot to a scheduled hearing. During that conversation no details were given other than that a hearing was to be held either the following Friday or Tuesday and USAPA was informed. The real facts: USAPA was not informed until Chairman McKee was contacted during this same phone call (call waiting and switched over) at 1600 by Captain Pate that 4 pilots were being called in for a hearing. When questioned as to the nature of the hearings as well as the specific topic to be discussed Captain Pate informed Captain McKee that he was not sure yet and was directed to notify the pilots as well as the union of the meetings. Pressing Captain Pate for specific events, flight numbers, days, as well as events leading to this notification it became very apparent that those in Tempe who ordered the hearings were not yet sure what to pursue and how to proceed; their only direction was the bring in the named parties. To his credit, Captain Pate stated he would have to get back to us on the nature of the events as well as the topics of discussion when he was brought into the loop by upper management.

As of this writing, we have only been informed that 2 of the Captains will be questioned about FDML write ups specific to the FAR requirement of secured crash axe brackets in the cockpit of the Airbus. The third Captain is being brought in to question his request to have maintenance fully service his oxygen that was less than 1000 psi prior to departure on the SFO redeye, and we have yet to hear why they need to bring in the most senior Captain. Can you say "witch hunt"???

Other than fuel school, at no time in the history of US Airways has any Captain been questioned on his judgment to enhance safety to meet or exceed the standards of our operation. At no time has any Captain been summoned to the Chief Pilot's office to discuss vague items without specific examples or a description of the events. At no time has any pilot been subjected to this amount of stress and pressure based on conjecture and unknown circumstances and at no time have your Representative ever been left with the "wait and see what sticks" and "we will tell you later" philosophy of conducting a hearing.

The hearings begin at 1400 on Tuesday May 31 and we must stand together with these hostages to not only protect to them but to stand up for the honor of our profession against these flawed management practices. We need to send a message to Tempe that their intimidation and behavior will not be tolerated by our pilot group and most importantly we must all stand beside our brother pilots who are being used as scapegoats by flight department management to keep the rest of you in line. We look forward to this righteous battle and look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday at 1330.

Final Thoughts

Each of us being on board is the requirement to effect the changes in the flawed safety culture of our airline and get our Safety Culture back into the green. We must all employ the Volant Model of Threat and Error management techniques to assure not only our cockpits but our work environment remain in the green at all times. Once we have established and recognized a threat, we must all exercise extreme caution using our problem solving skills to bring our environment back from the red or yellow into the green. Make no mistake, the stress and pressure that are being placed on all of us by this management are indeed threats to the safety of our airline and specifically our work environment, the cockpit. Isolating our pilots for discipline for the purpose of "education" adds significantly to the stress levels of our Safety Culture. We have an opportunity to move US Airways Safety Culture from the Red to the Green and it will require that each one of us to make a conscience decision - you are either on board with the goals and direction of your union or you are on board with Team Tempe's way of managing your work environment and professional judgment. We all know what it is like to work in a friendly, team spirited, as well as a stress free work environment. We need to reclaim that environment and move Team Tempe to accept the green they teach rather than push us into the yellow and red which they practice. Being on board means we will leave no soldiers behind; they take one of us, they take us all and, most importantly, that we maintain control of our threat environment and always keep it in the "green" to protect all they attempt to intimidate.

Tuesday Management is attempting to move us all to the red by taking Captains Hank Ratliff, Mike Gearing, Rick Taylor, and Tom Jellar as hostages in their campaign to intimidate and control US Airways pilots. We must stand together to protect and defend not only these pilots but the profession we have so proudly chosen.

Remember it is your duty regardless of management intimidation techniques to always keep it in the green; we must all focus on meeting or exceeding all US Airways Safety Standards and protecting all that are counting on our judgment, experience, and Captains Authority. Thank you all for being on board in protecting the safety and integrity of our airline and profession.

Be Safe out there; see you Tuesday as we stand up for the 4 hostages they have chosen!

It looks like the company is about to step on their crank......again. They tried this a while back and got their ass handed to them by the FAA. I would write up oxygen below 1,000 psi in an heartbeat and have written it up for being about 1,100 psi when about to go etops. NOTHING in our so called flight manuals will tell you how long 1,000 # will last in hrs. and min. and I doubt it will last 120 min or 180 min. With the number of problems with fumes and problems with Boeing windshield heat I think it only common sense to make sure you are above min. when going long haul domestic or etops. And how about the company telling you it is ok to sit at the gate with the doors closed knowing you have made one exit unusable? My answer to that is if the exit is able to be put on mel I will consider it otherwise find another pilot. I think the CP's should tell Tempe to shove it and go find a new CP but I don't see that happening.

Happy Memorial day and pass the Tylenol


Bob

 

[end_of_alpa]

Wasnt attacking anyone was just stating a fact and I bet there are lots of pilots from 92 still there.

And its not for you to decide either.

There are a few and I was one of them.

On the contrary as to the second statement. Fleet service doesn't fall under the same "legal" obligations that mechanics and pilots have to comply with. If the company is changing policies and procedures to "trip up" the pilot or mechanics from doing their job that could easily be thought of as an illegal interference of the status quo.

Also just stating facts.

No offense but FWIW we don't consider your experience the forefront of labor negotiations where pilots and the FARs are concerned.

Good luck in your new endeavors.