BOS Pilots,
What follows is the easiest part of my job as your Rep, and that's telling you the truth. My comments are in bold print below the PHL Council 41 Update.
Respectfully,
Garland
Council 41 Update, June 21, 2006
"Fellow Pilots,
We completed our Second Quarter MEC Meeting last Thursday, June 8th, in Philadelphia. The major topics were: our AAA MEC Budget, 757 "Growth Flying", and a JNC update. Numerous other issues were debated and voted on. Please check out the ALPA Web site for the compilation of action.
MEC Budget
This MEC has finally come to the realization that major changes in the way we spend your money are necessary. Numerous initiatives were debated and voted upon. Our desire is for you, the line pilots, to get more bang for your dues buck. Behavioral changes from many within your union are long overdue. It should be obvious to all that the revenue stream has been severely impacted by years of pay cuts and furloughs, yet very little change has been undertaken to stem the expenditure stream until now. The number and duration of meetings along with locations will be changing, AFB (ALPA flight pay) will under go new restrictions and requirements, and MEC overhead will finally be reduced after years of only discussion on this subject.
As we move forward it is imperative that we become self reliant to free us from the influences of ALPA National. From our perspective, the professional negotiators and attorneys employed by National have done very little to protect the pilots of US Airways.
We often here that we need professional negotiators, well, we have them. Cohen, Weiss, and Simon are one of the largest labor firms in our country. ALPA national has a cadre of advisors and staff. Yet, we continue to be lead down a path of non confrontation and appeasement. Why? Because it costs less, and has less risk to National!"
This is all nonsense. As a result of 2 bankruptcies in 3 years, our MEC's budget proved woefully inadequate, and ALPA National has been giving us grant money in order to help pay with the increased costs. As we are now out of bankruptcy, that grant money has stopped and we have taken the necessary steps to balance our AAA MEC budget.
Cohen, Weiss, and Simon are not professional negotiators, but are lawyers, and are contracted by ALPA to provide legal services. ALPA does have their own professional negotiators, and Bruce York, the head of that department, has been involved in our merger negotiations.
The strategies that your MEC employs to achieve our negotiating goals are decided by your MEC alone, with ALPA National providing legal, financial, negotiating and analytical assistance only upon our request.
"757 Growth Flying
The issue of "Growth Flying" was front and center at this past MEC quarterly meeting. Your PHL Reps debated the points related to the reduction of five pilot positions system wide on the last bid vs. the number of additional pilots we expected with the arrival of three 757 growth aircraft."
This has nothing to do with the requirement to share new flying with AWA. As per the Transition Agreement, the flying on all new aircraft added after September, 2005, will be shared on a "fair and equitable" basis between AAA and AWA. The words "Growth Flying" don't appear in the Transition Agreement, and this sharing of flying on new aircraft has nothing to do with growth.
"We also argued against any proposal that would encourage the company to continue to operate the two airlines separately."
This is straight from the Twilight Zone. None of these proposals would encourage this.
"Without divulging too much strategy, we felt that the last proposal from AWA and the counter proposal from our MEC were flawed. We believed that Pay Protecting the affected pilots from which ever group would increase the leverage of our collective pilot group at the negotiating table when the time comes. Pay protection has been used in past practice. For example, the Piedmont pilots were pay protected when the 737-400 order by Piedmont was transferred to US Air."
Someone was either asleep in class, or is an extremely slow learner. We offered to support the concept of having AAA fly all the new B757's positions with AWA getting pay protection from the Company, but AWA rejected that offer. And since they did, we never got around to asking Doug Parker if he was willing to pay for it or not.
With AWA's rejection of this offer, our choices were either to continue negotiating in order to reach an agreement or go to arbitration. We choose negotiations and reached an agreement whereby AAA will do all the flying on the 3 new B757's with AWA having their share of that B757 flying reserved for them after the two airlines are put together.
"The subverting of seniority by GIVING positions away is also at odds with the basic tenants of our profession. Management would like nothing more than to eliminate the seniority based system within the airline industry. They have been successful at destroying pay, work rules, and benefits - including pensions. The only thing left intact is the seniority based system. If they are successful is dismantling it, management would then be able to cut costs by eliminating the senior employee cost differential. Upgrades would be based on merit (or even which pilots curried favor from management) with no regards to DOH. Image what fun that would be."
Again, straight from the Twilight Zone. This is so bizarre that is doesn't deserve comment.
"For the above reasons and others, Eric and Dave voted against the "757 Growth Flying Proposal". We explained our reasons for voting against this proposal directly to some members of the AWA MEC. We believe it disadvantages both pilot groups moving forward. Unfortunately the majority of our MEC voted for this proposal. Voting against were your two PHL reps, Eric Rowe and Dave Ciabattoni, and Jim Wagner of PIT."
Maybe they explained it to some members of the AWA MEC, but they sure didn't explain it to our MEC. And just sitting there and screaming "NO, NO, NO" is not what I call explaining.
"JNC Update
The MEC persists in spending your dues money on a futile effort to compel management to bargain in good faith on our time frame. The JNC's results demonstrate that the company is true to their words so clearly spelled out in the Hemenway letter dated 11/15/05. They have control of the timeline once again, and apparently intend to use it for all it's worth. Why give us a pay raise when they can drag their feet and have a little longer to keep us down? Also demonstrated is the hollowness and meaninglessness of your MEC words, evidenced by the DFW resolution of 01/05/06. Attached to the end of this update is a copy of the DFW resolution, as well as some comments from one of our resident MEC Blowhards at that time.
In a nut shell, the DFW resolution - which both of your PHL Reps voted against - was to reorder the schedule for negotiating economic issues bringing them on a fast track. The DFW resolution was offered as a substitute to a real chest-pounding (read "hollow") resolution from the usually conciliatory side of the MEC that would pull the JNC from negotiations in order to force a retraction of the Hemmingway letter."
This was Mike Swiatkowski's original Resolution, and one that I supported, until we both were convinced that there was a better way to challenge the Company on this issue. No chest-pounding, and no hollowness, just the exercise of clear thinking in what was really in the best interests of the pilots we represent.
"The DFW resolution suddenly appeared after someone seemed to get weak knees when his words about standing up to the Company due to the Hemenway letter were leading us towards a real-life, actual confrontation.
This substitute was supposed to flush out the company's true intent as to the Hemenway letter. The vaulted ALPA advisors, attorneys, and professional negotiators (whose language in the Transition Agreement is sure to be challenged) were successful in steering some of your pliable MEC members away from a confrontation once again."
And yet another inspiration from the Twilight Zone. ALPA National's advisors were adamantly against our Resolution to reorder the JNC talks.
"Now, some six months later, and minus more of your dues money, we are facing the same challenges with the added complexities of our complicit actions of currently negotiating while having the knowledge of the stated intent of the company as described in the Hemmingway letter. Our collective weakness has handicapped us yet again."
Nonsense. If we had never stayed in negotiations, we wouldn't have a clue as to what the Company was or wasn't going to offer us. Moreover, AWA would then have no reason not to go into their own Section 6, leaving us with LOA 93, and B Scale, until 2010 or beyond.
"Separate Operations and the Transition Agreement
Your PHL Reps requested the presents of ALPA attorney Bruce York and Cohen, Weiss, and Simon attorney Mike Abram at our second quarter meeting. Both of these men were instrumental in producing the Transition Agreement which was supposed to guide the three parties through the merger process. We had requested from Chairman Stephan that they attend our meeting to discuss the continued transgressions by the company of the separate operations language within the document.
They didn't show.
In the months to come both pilot groups will continue to see an increase of cross company flying. For example in July East pilots will see pairings such as LAS-TPA-FLL, PHX-ORD, PHX-CUN, PHX-SEA, and PHX-BOS.
It is obvious to your PHL Reps that the company is attempting to obtain the synergies that were to come at the completion of the merger process without having to actually merge the two pilot groups. If left unchecked, our ability to obtain a fair joint contract will be greatly diminished. It is past time for our expert negotiators and attorneys to answer some tough questions about the advice they have given us."
Asleep in class again. There is no such thing as "cross company flying." We own no domestic flying, and own no domestic routes, and haven't since deregulation in 1978. In the Transition Agreement, however, we have agreed to protect the Hawaii flying for the AWA side and Europe and Caribbean flying for AAA.
"We must continue to prepare for the battles that lay ahead. The current financial success of the airline is obviously coming on the backs of labor and not out of an improved and more productive operation. The only way to force the Company to create a real, successful business plan for this airline is to remove the handicap that our substandard pay and working condition has give this management team."
Truer words were never spoken.
"It is clear that we must build the resolve amongst the pilots that will be required to successfully exert economic pressure on this corporation. We are encouraged by the list of volunteers that continues to grow. We have named Steve Smyser as Strike Prep Committee Chairman and have activated the Pilot-to-Pilot communication program."
Indeed, we, the entire MEC, elected Steve Smyser as Strike Prep Chairman, and I was the one who nominated him.
"As always, the pilots of this airline continue to hold up our end of the bargain.
But if this management team's actions do not change, we won't be much longer."
Welcome back to where the real fight is.
Fraternally,
Eric, Dave & Jim
What follows is the easiest part of my job as your Rep, and that's telling you the truth. My comments are in bold print below the PHL Council 41 Update.
Respectfully,
Garland
Council 41 Update, June 21, 2006
"Fellow Pilots,
We completed our Second Quarter MEC Meeting last Thursday, June 8th, in Philadelphia. The major topics were: our AAA MEC Budget, 757 "Growth Flying", and a JNC update. Numerous other issues were debated and voted on. Please check out the ALPA Web site for the compilation of action.
MEC Budget
This MEC has finally come to the realization that major changes in the way we spend your money are necessary. Numerous initiatives were debated and voted upon. Our desire is for you, the line pilots, to get more bang for your dues buck. Behavioral changes from many within your union are long overdue. It should be obvious to all that the revenue stream has been severely impacted by years of pay cuts and furloughs, yet very little change has been undertaken to stem the expenditure stream until now. The number and duration of meetings along with locations will be changing, AFB (ALPA flight pay) will under go new restrictions and requirements, and MEC overhead will finally be reduced after years of only discussion on this subject.
As we move forward it is imperative that we become self reliant to free us from the influences of ALPA National. From our perspective, the professional negotiators and attorneys employed by National have done very little to protect the pilots of US Airways.
We often here that we need professional negotiators, well, we have them. Cohen, Weiss, and Simon are one of the largest labor firms in our country. ALPA national has a cadre of advisors and staff. Yet, we continue to be lead down a path of non confrontation and appeasement. Why? Because it costs less, and has less risk to National!"
This is all nonsense. As a result of 2 bankruptcies in 3 years, our MEC's budget proved woefully inadequate, and ALPA National has been giving us grant money in order to help pay with the increased costs. As we are now out of bankruptcy, that grant money has stopped and we have taken the necessary steps to balance our AAA MEC budget.
Cohen, Weiss, and Simon are not professional negotiators, but are lawyers, and are contracted by ALPA to provide legal services. ALPA does have their own professional negotiators, and Bruce York, the head of that department, has been involved in our merger negotiations.
The strategies that your MEC employs to achieve our negotiating goals are decided by your MEC alone, with ALPA National providing legal, financial, negotiating and analytical assistance only upon our request.
"757 Growth Flying
The issue of "Growth Flying" was front and center at this past MEC quarterly meeting. Your PHL Reps debated the points related to the reduction of five pilot positions system wide on the last bid vs. the number of additional pilots we expected with the arrival of three 757 growth aircraft."
This has nothing to do with the requirement to share new flying with AWA. As per the Transition Agreement, the flying on all new aircraft added after September, 2005, will be shared on a "fair and equitable" basis between AAA and AWA. The words "Growth Flying" don't appear in the Transition Agreement, and this sharing of flying on new aircraft has nothing to do with growth.
"We also argued against any proposal that would encourage the company to continue to operate the two airlines separately."
This is straight from the Twilight Zone. None of these proposals would encourage this.
"Without divulging too much strategy, we felt that the last proposal from AWA and the counter proposal from our MEC were flawed. We believed that Pay Protecting the affected pilots from which ever group would increase the leverage of our collective pilot group at the negotiating table when the time comes. Pay protection has been used in past practice. For example, the Piedmont pilots were pay protected when the 737-400 order by Piedmont was transferred to US Air."
Someone was either asleep in class, or is an extremely slow learner. We offered to support the concept of having AAA fly all the new B757's positions with AWA getting pay protection from the Company, but AWA rejected that offer. And since they did, we never got around to asking Doug Parker if he was willing to pay for it or not.
With AWA's rejection of this offer, our choices were either to continue negotiating in order to reach an agreement or go to arbitration. We choose negotiations and reached an agreement whereby AAA will do all the flying on the 3 new B757's with AWA having their share of that B757 flying reserved for them after the two airlines are put together.
"The subverting of seniority by GIVING positions away is also at odds with the basic tenants of our profession. Management would like nothing more than to eliminate the seniority based system within the airline industry. They have been successful at destroying pay, work rules, and benefits - including pensions. The only thing left intact is the seniority based system. If they are successful is dismantling it, management would then be able to cut costs by eliminating the senior employee cost differential. Upgrades would be based on merit (or even which pilots curried favor from management) with no regards to DOH. Image what fun that would be."
Again, straight from the Twilight Zone. This is so bizarre that is doesn't deserve comment.
"For the above reasons and others, Eric and Dave voted against the "757 Growth Flying Proposal". We explained our reasons for voting against this proposal directly to some members of the AWA MEC. We believe it disadvantages both pilot groups moving forward. Unfortunately the majority of our MEC voted for this proposal. Voting against were your two PHL reps, Eric Rowe and Dave Ciabattoni, and Jim Wagner of PIT."
Maybe they explained it to some members of the AWA MEC, but they sure didn't explain it to our MEC. And just sitting there and screaming "NO, NO, NO" is not what I call explaining.
"JNC Update
The MEC persists in spending your dues money on a futile effort to compel management to bargain in good faith on our time frame. The JNC's results demonstrate that the company is true to their words so clearly spelled out in the Hemenway letter dated 11/15/05. They have control of the timeline once again, and apparently intend to use it for all it's worth. Why give us a pay raise when they can drag their feet and have a little longer to keep us down? Also demonstrated is the hollowness and meaninglessness of your MEC words, evidenced by the DFW resolution of 01/05/06. Attached to the end of this update is a copy of the DFW resolution, as well as some comments from one of our resident MEC Blowhards at that time.
In a nut shell, the DFW resolution - which both of your PHL Reps voted against - was to reorder the schedule for negotiating economic issues bringing them on a fast track. The DFW resolution was offered as a substitute to a real chest-pounding (read "hollow") resolution from the usually conciliatory side of the MEC that would pull the JNC from negotiations in order to force a retraction of the Hemmingway letter."
This was Mike Swiatkowski's original Resolution, and one that I supported, until we both were convinced that there was a better way to challenge the Company on this issue. No chest-pounding, and no hollowness, just the exercise of clear thinking in what was really in the best interests of the pilots we represent.
"The DFW resolution suddenly appeared after someone seemed to get weak knees when his words about standing up to the Company due to the Hemenway letter were leading us towards a real-life, actual confrontation.
This substitute was supposed to flush out the company's true intent as to the Hemenway letter. The vaulted ALPA advisors, attorneys, and professional negotiators (whose language in the Transition Agreement is sure to be challenged) were successful in steering some of your pliable MEC members away from a confrontation once again."
And yet another inspiration from the Twilight Zone. ALPA National's advisors were adamantly against our Resolution to reorder the JNC talks.
"Now, some six months later, and minus more of your dues money, we are facing the same challenges with the added complexities of our complicit actions of currently negotiating while having the knowledge of the stated intent of the company as described in the Hemmingway letter. Our collective weakness has handicapped us yet again."
Nonsense. If we had never stayed in negotiations, we wouldn't have a clue as to what the Company was or wasn't going to offer us. Moreover, AWA would then have no reason not to go into their own Section 6, leaving us with LOA 93, and B Scale, until 2010 or beyond.
"Separate Operations and the Transition Agreement
Your PHL Reps requested the presents of ALPA attorney Bruce York and Cohen, Weiss, and Simon attorney Mike Abram at our second quarter meeting. Both of these men were instrumental in producing the Transition Agreement which was supposed to guide the three parties through the merger process. We had requested from Chairman Stephan that they attend our meeting to discuss the continued transgressions by the company of the separate operations language within the document.
They didn't show.
In the months to come both pilot groups will continue to see an increase of cross company flying. For example in July East pilots will see pairings such as LAS-TPA-FLL, PHX-ORD, PHX-CUN, PHX-SEA, and PHX-BOS.
It is obvious to your PHL Reps that the company is attempting to obtain the synergies that were to come at the completion of the merger process without having to actually merge the two pilot groups. If left unchecked, our ability to obtain a fair joint contract will be greatly diminished. It is past time for our expert negotiators and attorneys to answer some tough questions about the advice they have given us."
Asleep in class again. There is no such thing as "cross company flying." We own no domestic flying, and own no domestic routes, and haven't since deregulation in 1978. In the Transition Agreement, however, we have agreed to protect the Hawaii flying for the AWA side and Europe and Caribbean flying for AAA.
"We must continue to prepare for the battles that lay ahead. The current financial success of the airline is obviously coming on the backs of labor and not out of an improved and more productive operation. The only way to force the Company to create a real, successful business plan for this airline is to remove the handicap that our substandard pay and working condition has give this management team."
Truer words were never spoken.
"It is clear that we must build the resolve amongst the pilots that will be required to successfully exert economic pressure on this corporation. We are encouraged by the list of volunteers that continues to grow. We have named Steve Smyser as Strike Prep Committee Chairman and have activated the Pilot-to-Pilot communication program."
Indeed, we, the entire MEC, elected Steve Smyser as Strike Prep Chairman, and I was the one who nominated him.
"As always, the pilots of this airline continue to hold up our end of the bargain.
But if this management team's actions do not change, we won't be much longer."
Welcome back to where the real fight is.
Fraternally,
Eric, Dave & Jim