US Mgmt and AmWest Pilots to Open Separate Negotiations

[N826AW]

Rut roh. This could get interesting. Pardon my ignorance but what prevents Parker from shifting flying from the East pilots to the West pilots?

PHOENIX, March 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- US Airways (NYSE: LCC - News) management received notification today from the America West pilots requesting to commence separate contract negotiations under Section 6 of the Railway Labor Act.


Also today, the America West pilots have begun separate negotiations with US Airways management on future Airbus A330-200 widebody flying. Following is a statement from Captain John McIlvenna, chairman of the union leadership group representing the America West pilots. "America West pilots have lost all patience with this merger. For nearly three years, we have been working with our brothers and sisters at the former US Airways to complete a joint contract. We had hoped that this process would prove fruitful for all pilots of the new US Airways; however, we have come to the point where we are leaving millions of dollars on the table each month for management to pocket. As a result, the pilots I represent are angry, frustrated and asking what was in this merger for us. It appears as if the answer is nothing.

"Since the America West-US Airways merger was consummated, more than 400 US Airways East (former US Air) pilots have been able to upgrade to captain positions, yet less than 40 US Airways West (former America West) pilots have been offered the same opportunity. It's long past time for management to make this merger right for the hard working pilots out West, whose contributions and sacrifices enabled the creation of the new US Airways."

The America West pilots' current contract became amendable December 2006, with provisions that allowed for the parties to open negotiations in June 2006. The US Airways pilots' contract is not amendable until December 2009. Prior to the merger, the two pilot groups negotiated a Transition Agreement with management that (among other things) recognized the rights of America West pilots to enter into Section 6 negotiations separately with management at any time. Until now, those negotiations were in recess, as both pilot groups had been dedicating themselves to completing a joint contract with management.
The America West pilots are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l. (ALPA). Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world's largest pilot union, representing 61,000 pilots at 43 airlines in the United States and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080314/clf015.html?.v=101

[Minuteman]

*whip-pshhh* ... *whip-pshhh**whip-pshhh*

[Velocipede]

Someone had to step in and try to control this mess. If USAPA wins, the internecine warfare will doom this Company.

Its the West pilots who are willing to adhere to the legal, BINDING SLI arbitration. If you're the Company, are you going to negotiate with the reasonable group or the grenade launchers?

[kellwolf]

Think NWA vs Republic with actual bloodshed rather than a West Side Story-like dance routine.

[flywithUS]

Originally Posted by Velocipede

Its the West pilots who are willing to adhere to the legal, BINDING SLI arbitration. If you're the Company, are you going to negotiate with the reasonable group or the grenade launchers?

Oh please. You make it sound as if the West pilots are noble for their actions. Please! They received a sweet, once-in-a-lifetime deal. Of course they are going to adhere to it.

I have no problems with what the West pilots are doing here, but this statement...

"Since the America West-US Airways merger was consummated, more than 400 US Airways East (former US Air) pilots have been able to upgrade to captain positions, yet less than 40 US Airways West (former America West) pilots have been offered the same opportunity. It's long past time for management to make this merger right for the hard working pilots out West, whose contributions and sacrifices enabled the creation of the new US Airways."

... is perhaps the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.

[Doug Taylor]

I don't want to be negative for my first post of the morning, but I can't see this company recovering.

Considering the economy is in the tank, high energy prices, they're spending too much effort fighting one another rather than steering the ship.

Glad we avoided THAT morass.

[jtrain609]

But...synergies!

[EDUC8-or]

I don't think the East Siders are really intent on burning the place down, but from the outside looking it it sure seems like they're on the way.

[Velocipede]

Originally Posted by flywithUS

Oh please. You make it sound as if the West pilots are noble for their actions. Please! They received a sweet, once-in-a-lifetime deal. Of course they are going to adhere to it.

Step away from the Kool-Aid, son. The East MEC agreed to BINDINGarbitration. The Easterlings insisted on DoH. When the arbitrator asked them to reconsider their position, they refused and rode the DoH Titanic to the bottom of the ocean.

The Westies are entirely right. They brought the jobs to the merger.
Why should a Easterling furlough jump right into a Captains seat on recall? Why should Westie pilots be condemned to a career of F/O flying after THEY rescued the sinking ship USAir was?

My personal opinion is that ALPA merger policy should be DoH, period. However, they deleted the DoH option from the merger/frag policy and replaced it with "career expectations." The arbitrator came up with a ratioed list that adheres to that policy.

You really need to put the pitcher down, all that sugar isn't good for your pancreas.

[Hacker15e]

I still can't wrap my mind around what the Easties are smoking. Even as an outsider with no dog in the fight whatsoever, I don't see any footing that they have in the deal.

Looks like sour grapes from any angle.

The REAL question is, after they drive USAirways into the dirt, how are these pilots who gave the big finger to ALPA going to be received when they have to go get jobs at other carriers?

[Velocipede]

As the traitors they are, probably. A single step above scabs.

[ljg]

McCain can always provide a legislative earmark (handout) to Parker if it gets bad enough.

[EDUC8-or]

Originally Posted by Velocipede

Why should Westie pilots be condemned to a career of F/O flying after THEY rescued the sinking ship USAir was?

America West wasn't exactly doing such a great job staying afloat before the merger.

[Velocipede]

Originally Posted by EDUC8-or

America West wasn't exactly doing such a great job staying afloat before the merger.

They were doing better than USAir was. AAA was days away from liquidation.

[PCL_128]

Originally Posted by N826AW

Rut roh. This could get interesting. Pardon my ignorance but what prevents Parker from shifting flying from the East pilots to the West pilots?

There was a transition agreement between the "new" USAirways and the ALPA MECs at both AAA and AWA that prevented that. But, the question is what happens if Dougie decides to go to court and claim that the East MEC isn't holding up to its end of the deal on the transition agreement. The agreement required both MECs to work towards negotiating a joint contract. The East MEC is no longer doing that. So, Dougie would probably have little trouble in getting the transition agreement voided by a judge. If that happened, he could very well start transferring airplanes at a rapid pace to the West. Personally, I'd like to see it happen just to watch those East pilots suffer for their backstabbing.

[PCL_128]

Originally Posted by flywithUS

"Since the America West-US Airways merger was consummated, more than 400 US Airways East (former US Air) pilots have been able to upgrade to captain positions, yet less than 40 US Airways West (former America West) pilots have been offered the same opportunity. It's long past time for management to make this merger right for the hard working pilots out West, whose contributions and sacrifices enabled the creation of the new US Airways."

... is perhaps the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.

No, it's 100% accurate.

[surreal1221]

Wow. . .if he thinks that is ridiculous, I want to see what he thinks is spectacular!

[Doug Taylor]

FlyWithUS, ask your father why in the heck they agreed to binding arbitration?

[meritflyer]

Ya, what Taylor said!!!

[NJA_Capt]

Originally Posted by Hacker15e

I still can't wrap my mind around what the Easties are smoking. Even as an outsider with no dog in the fight whatsoever, I don't see any footing that they have in the deal.

Looks like sour grapes from any angle.

The REAL question is, after they drive USAirways into the dirt, how are these pilots who gave the big finger to ALPA going to be received when they have to go get jobs at other carriers?

The primary job of a union in a merger is to protect the jobs/seats of the individual entities. IE....One carrier cannot take seats from the other carrier and visa versa. If Virgin and British Airways merged, Virgin pilots couldn't come in and take seats in the Concorde (example).

The case of East v West is exactly that. AW openly stated in the original merger PRs that they had no intentions of "ever" operating Widebody aircraft. But suddenly the AWA pilots are interested. The opening line says it all.

"....the America West pilots have begun separate negotiations with US Airways management on future Airbus A330-200 widebody flying."

ALPA is not protecting the seats that the East guys brought to the picnic. AWA pilots have no widebody aircraft and no widebody routes, yet they think they are entitled to US-East's aircraft and routes. A better question is why did ALPA allow it to go to arbitration??? USAir pilots have been in ALPA 40 years longer and has twice the membership of AWA-ALPA.

Suppose the USAF decided to re-merge with the ARMY and part of the deal was that ARMY C-12 pilots were entitled to 1/2 the F22 squadrons. That would go over well, wouldn't it?

Suppose DAL merged with Airtran and the AT pilots started separate negotiations with DAL management for B777 flying.

AW/US was a merger. AW did not acquire USair. Without this merger BOTH companies would likely already be extinct.

How will they be accepted? They have been accepted with open arms at NetJets. EVERY former ALPA pilot (and MEC member) that I have talked to here have been very happy to wash their hands of ALPA.

America West
Number of Crewmembers: 1,800
Joined ALPA: 1993
Operations: America West offers service to 95 destinations throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Costa Rica.

US Airways
Number of Crewmembers: 3,228
Joined ALPA: 1951
Operations: The nation’s seventh-largest airline, serving nearly 200 communities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America; more than 1,250 daily departures

[NJA_Capt]

Originally Posted by PCL_128

No, it's 100% accurate.

100% Smoke and Mirrors.

US-E has almost double the pilots and aircraft.....they will need more upgrades.

US-E has an older pilot force which equates to more retirees (more Capt vacancies).

US-E had many pilots retire/opt out because of the previous "age 60." rule.

US-E was/is still taking delivery of new aircraft.

All of these things equate to higher upgrade needs. They also conveniently left out that most/all of the "upgrades" were former Capts who were downgraded to FO (for a decade) because of previous concessions.