America West Merger Committee Update
October 3, 2014
As we are certain you already know, on September 4, 2014, American
Airlines, APA, and USAPA executed a Protocol Agreement which governs
the process for seniority integration.
Paragraph 8 of the Protocol Agreement established a process through which former America West pilots may become recognized as a full and equal party to the seniority integration process. Under the Protocol Agreement, former America West pilots had until 14 days from the
NMBs certification of APA as the exclusive bargaining agent to request to participate in the Preliminary Arbitration. The America West Merger Committee (AWMC) requested party status from APA. We have been advised that no other group of former America West pilots claiming to represent the West Pilots has made a similar request, and the matter has been referred to a Preliminary Arbitration Board (PAB). The issue for the PAB is a simple one does APA have the discretion to appoint a WestPilots Merger Committee?
If the PAB decides that APA does have that
discretion, we expect that APA will appoint a West Pilots Committee that will have full party status in the Seniority List Integration process.