In a few days this letter to the US Airways east pilots from the President of ALPA will be 3 years old. Time flies when you are having fun!
Our boy the desert judge wouldn't let this document in his court room.
Hate
From: ALPA Communications for AAA MEC [alpacommunications-aaamec@ames.alpa.org]
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 5:06 PM
To: alpacommunications-aaamec
Subject: Further Clarification of Separate Operations
March 14, 2008
Dear US Airways Pilot:
I want to respond quickly and in a definitive way to the positive
reactions and questions from many of you to my letter on separate
operations and separate ratification votes.
There should be no confusion on these important points, so I will be as
clear and precise as I can be.
The Transition Agreement requires that the parties maintain separate operations until the implementation of a new collective bargaining
agreement covering the entire airline. Both the Transition Agreement
and ALPA Merger Policy prohibit US Airways from utilizing the
single seniority list until we reach a single agreement.
Merger Policy does not contain a timetable for completing the single
agreement. Rather, Merger Policy calls on the two MECs to work
toward that ultimate goal. While they are doing that, it is not the
responsibility or prerogative of the Association to direct them to reach
agreement on specific contract issues or impose specific contract
solutions.
Some members have asked what will happen if pilots from one group
or the other sue the Association either to block implementation or to
force implementation of the Nicolau award. I repeat—there is no
required timetable for implementation of the award. That only
happens with a single collective bargaining agreement.
So, as required by Merger Policy, the Association will defend the
award but will also work tirelessly to help the two MECs forge
solutions and craft comprehensive proposals that resolve all seniority,
career advancement, and contract issues for all US Airways pilots.
That course of action is consistent with the resolutions of our
Executive Council. As long as the two MECs are working in this
direction, there is a solid defense against court intervention.
When the representation election is behind us, the two MECs can turn
their attention to resolving their differences and reaching an
agreement on contract and career progression issues that will benefit
all US Airways pilots. This will lead to a contract that is much better
than any contract that USAPA can obtain, as it will be a contract that
addresses all pilot concerns. On the other hand, USAPA will propose a
quick, cheap, cost‐neutral contract that addresses only seniority, that
will be tied up in endless litigation, and that is subject to being undone
in future negotiations or in future mergers.
When a tentative agreement is reached under the ALPA structure, each
MEC, followed by each pilot group, will have the right to a separate
ratification vote on that agreement. I want to assure you that
trusteeship will not be used to deprive you of your right to separate
membership ratification. That protection—for each MEC and each
pilot group to analyze, debate, and ratify a contract that meets its
needs—exists in ALPA Merger Policy and does not under USAPA
representation.
In Unity,
Captain John H. Prater
President
ALPA: The Pilots Union
3/14/2008
If you wish to unsubscribe from this list, please go to
https://crewroom.alpa.org/alpa/DesktopModules/ToPreferences.aspx to update your Standard Mailings
and/or E-Mail Distribution Lists preferences. Note: you may be prompted to logon to access this page.
