Compass Correction Coalition Update (Making Ourselves Irrelevant!): April 24, 2012
Let’s get this point straight from the “git-go”: The “Mysterious Trip to PHX” by all four of the newly elected Officers, last month - was about one thing; trying to mend fences with a large sub-set of our US Airways Pilots. Hummel ran on the idea that only one of the 29 Sections of our contract is internally contentious and that the PHX based pilots needs to be included. The seniority issue will be decided, but not by glaring at each other and by systematically elbowing the PHX pilots out of union positions.
As it turns, the Officer’s trip was timely and prescient. Now, we are having a merger shoved down our collective throats and unity between the East and West of US Airways becomes more than the right thing to do; it is now vital for us all. That unity is the only thing standing between a mutually negotiated working agreement, or in the unsavory alternative, a petition by APA, to the NMB, for single carrier status and APA has agreed to petition the NMB at the time of a corporate transaction. APA would then be “our” Collective Bargaining Agent and USAPA would cease to exist! Get it now??? APA would then, (being the vast majority) do whatever they like, within reason. Whatever they negotiate and ratify would then become our contract too.
One would think that the above would be obvious to everyone, most especially to every elected representative on the Board of Pilot Representatives. Recently, two of the Representatives of the PHL, (Jamie Weidner did NOT participate) and all three of the CLT Domicile Reps, published a screed so pointless, inaccurate and paranoid that it made us all look like children.
POINT HERE: for whatever happy (inane) reason, The PHL Domicile Representatives woke up the next day and published a wonderful and informative update, (including Weidner this time…no coincidence there) – so, we are cautiously optimistic that the bigger picture is coming into focus for Szyprka and Gillies.
We have all read the fantasy that Hummel has had “secret” negotiations with Parker and APA, some of these crazy ideas published by our Representatives. Well, by their own account, APA states that these negotiations have taken place over, “the last several months”. So we ask; are we looking to the wrong President of USAPA, when we make the accusation of secret negotiation?
Our new officer corps, led by President Gary Hummel (who you elected!) has been in office for less than one week!
Here is the point: this whole transaction is moving at high speed and has been initiated without consultation with your union and mine, USAPA. Ask yourselves why management chose to not trust USAPA to be a part of this transaction…then ask yourselves if you elected the new Officers to act like the old ones, or to foster a professional, working, if not exactly friendly relationship with Parker and company. Perhaps, if we hadn’t beaten the company with a stick at every, single opportunity, this merger would not have come as such a surprise to your union?
Now, we have exactly five Representatives, three at CLT and two at PHL, who continue to lick their various wounds, (real and imagined). These guys cast stones, divert blame to others and hurl accusations in a way all too reminiscent of the recently departed President and Vice President, and all for spite!
Their results will be identical to that of the departed President; we will be isolated from participation in events that affect our professional futures. We will be ignored by management, as they turn their attention to a more receptive and majority group of pilots; APA. In short, the actions of the past administration along with the continuation of the same behavior by certain reps are rendering you and me Irrelevant.
Write your Representatives…NOW. Hold all of your elected union Representatives and Officers accountable; not just for results, but for their behavior, decorum and conduct.
Sinking the new Officer Corps, for the sake of political revenge is certainly a result…but is it the result The Line Pilot is looking for? Is this what we expect, in this time of critical actions and sober thought...and true representation of your best interest?
Respectfully,
Woody Menear PHL 76I
Rich Wargin CLT B737