Below is an excerpt from the PHX reps. It is part of an unofficial update - unofficial because the USAPA Communications Committee has not approved its release in the original form. We have received little or no information from USAPA during a period of time when events are happening fast:
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US Airways is apparently in the process of negotiating only with APA (the Allied Pilots Association) for a collective bargaining agreement that only includes the present-day AA pilots. US Airways management IS NOT NEGOTIATING with USAPA, or the pilots presently employed by US Airways – PERIOD.
If a merger between US Airways and American Airlines in consummated, then AFTER AA emerges from bankruptcy, the company plans to combine the “New AA” with the ”New” US Airways. Keep in mind that “combine” has two different meanings for labor and for management.
Presently, the company sees no reason to negotiate with the US Airways pilots, and judging from the statements from our counterparts in Texas, the APA apparently feels that it is THEIR CONTRACT to negotiate, and is of little concern to either the East, or the West pilots of US Airways. This is also made clear from the language in the APA/US Airways term sheet.
After the companies merge, the new airline's management will enter into negotiations for a Transition Agreement, but only with the APA. Subsequent to the transition agreement negotiations, there will be a filing by the APA to the National Mediation Board no later than 60 days after the merger which will seek to certify the APA as the single collective bargaining agent for all pilots of the New AA. According to the plain language of the Term Sheet, only after the APA (or whatever association prevails) is certified as the sole collective bargaining agent will East/West pilots enter into the equation. Presumably the APA will begin negotiating a contract that covers all pilots at the New AA and, although we are speculating here, it seems likely that US Airways pilots will have two choices: 1) accept the APA’s contract over which they are currently negotiating with Parker; or, 2) enter into an additional round of negotiations for a combined contract that covers East, West and present-day AA pilots. In other words, there may be a few more years of C2004 and LOA93 while the APA pilots work under the new contract with its superior wages to either East or West contract.