ALPA MEC CODE-A-PHONE UPDATE - May 20, 2003
This is Roy Freundlich with a US Airways MEC update for Tuesday, May 20, with three new items.
Item 1. The MEC convened its special meeting in Herndon, Va. and spent most of the day considering MEC policy regarding stock allocation under the Restructuring Agreement. The discussion included the tax implications and eligibility criterion of the distribution. Discussion on this issue will continue tomorrow morning when the MEC reconvenes its meeting.
The MEC also approved a two-month consultant contract for Secretary-Treasurer Philip Osterhus, should he be furloughed, to assist the Chairman and Vice Chairman with administrative duties until a new Secretary/Treasurer is elected, and after a new Secretary/Treasurer is elected, to assist him or her with the transition period.
As previously announced, the MEC expects to hold an election for the MEC officer position of Secretary/Treasurer in the near future. If you are interested in serving your fellow pilots in this position please contact the MEC office or your local council representative.
The MEC will reconvene tomorrow at 9 a.m. at the Days Inn Hotel and Conference Center—Dulles Airport. The telephone number for transportation information is 703-471-6700. All US Airways pilots are encouraged to attend. Please be advised that portions of the meeting may be in closed session.
Item 2. Senior management is not complying with the restoration funding legislation provisions of LOA 85. For those pilots who haven’t yet participated in ALPA’s grassroots communications campaign to Mr. Siegel and your congressional leaders, the MEC and MEC officers are asking you to please do so. This effort is being utilized to remind management of their obligation to support the industry’s pension plan legislation and to seek support from your congressional representatives for this legislation. We need the participation of every US Airways pilot, active and retired, to inform Mr. Siegel of US Airways’ obligation and commitment to our pilots to support pension plan legislation that restores our defined benefit plan in accordance with LOA 85.
The directions for this effort are on the MEC Pilots Only home page under DB Plan Restoration Effort. If you need help sending these letters out, or if you have questions, please call the MEC office and someone will be available to assist you.
Item 3. The Negotiating Committee reports that discussions with management today on implementation of training lines per the contract turned into a request from management for productivity relief for check airmen. The Negotiating Committee reports that management is requesting:
Elimination of check airmen monthly rotations.
When not flying training trips, check airmen would continue to conduct simulator training or other covered pilot duties for the rest of the month.
Individual training trips (vs. complete monthly lines) to be assigned by the Training Department to individual check airmen.
Proficiency to be maintained when flying assigned trips (IOEs).
The Negotiating Committee informed management that three billion dollars in cost saving is enough and that requesting additional relief from Section 10 is inappropriate will not be considered during scheduling implementation discussions concerning training lines. Check pilot staffing and the illegal announced furlough issues are among the many contractual violations currently being addressed by the Association.
Please remember we have 1,827 pilots on furlough with 52 pilots scheduled for furlough on June 4, 2003.
Thank you for listening.
This is Roy Freundlich with a US Airways MEC update for Tuesday, May 20, with three new items.
Item 1. The MEC convened its special meeting in Herndon, Va. and spent most of the day considering MEC policy regarding stock allocation under the Restructuring Agreement. The discussion included the tax implications and eligibility criterion of the distribution. Discussion on this issue will continue tomorrow morning when the MEC reconvenes its meeting.
The MEC also approved a two-month consultant contract for Secretary-Treasurer Philip Osterhus, should he be furloughed, to assist the Chairman and Vice Chairman with administrative duties until a new Secretary/Treasurer is elected, and after a new Secretary/Treasurer is elected, to assist him or her with the transition period.
As previously announced, the MEC expects to hold an election for the MEC officer position of Secretary/Treasurer in the near future. If you are interested in serving your fellow pilots in this position please contact the MEC office or your local council representative.
The MEC will reconvene tomorrow at 9 a.m. at the Days Inn Hotel and Conference Center—Dulles Airport. The telephone number for transportation information is 703-471-6700. All US Airways pilots are encouraged to attend. Please be advised that portions of the meeting may be in closed session.
Item 2. Senior management is not complying with the restoration funding legislation provisions of LOA 85. For those pilots who haven’t yet participated in ALPA’s grassroots communications campaign to Mr. Siegel and your congressional leaders, the MEC and MEC officers are asking you to please do so. This effort is being utilized to remind management of their obligation to support the industry’s pension plan legislation and to seek support from your congressional representatives for this legislation. We need the participation of every US Airways pilot, active and retired, to inform Mr. Siegel of US Airways’ obligation and commitment to our pilots to support pension plan legislation that restores our defined benefit plan in accordance with LOA 85.
The directions for this effort are on the MEC Pilots Only home page under DB Plan Restoration Effort. If you need help sending these letters out, or if you have questions, please call the MEC office and someone will be available to assist you.
Item 3. The Negotiating Committee reports that discussions with management today on implementation of training lines per the contract turned into a request from management for productivity relief for check airmen. The Negotiating Committee reports that management is requesting:
Elimination of check airmen monthly rotations.
When not flying training trips, check airmen would continue to conduct simulator training or other covered pilot duties for the rest of the month.
Individual training trips (vs. complete monthly lines) to be assigned by the Training Department to individual check airmen.
Proficiency to be maintained when flying assigned trips (IOEs).
The Negotiating Committee informed management that three billion dollars in cost saving is enough and that requesting additional relief from Section 10 is inappropriate will not be considered during scheduling implementation discussions concerning training lines. Check pilot staffing and the illegal announced furlough issues are among the many contractual violations currently being addressed by the Association.
Please remember we have 1,827 pilots on furlough with 52 pilots scheduled for furlough on June 4, 2003.
Thank you for listening.
