ALPA MEC CODE-A-PHONE UPDATE

[USA320Pilot]

ALPA MEC CODE-A-PHONE UPDATE - May 17, 2007

This is Arnie Gentile with a US Airways MEC update for Thursday, May 17th, with one new item.

Communications is posting a document concerning pilot transportation needs for attending the Merger Committee’s presentation to the Executive Council. This document will be emailed to all pilots and posted in ‘What’s New.’

Many of our pilots have been asking about transportation for themselves and their families to and from the ALPA Herndon office on Monday, May 21st for the purpose of being in attendance when the Executive Council hears the US Airways Merger Committee and Merger Council presentation regarding the Nicolau award. The ALPA office in Herndon is not in a convenient location, and there is no public transportation available.

In response to our pilot’s requests, we are providing bus transportation from both IAD and DCA Airports directly to the ALPA Herndon Office which is 5 miles from IAD and 25 miles from DCA. There will be a volunteer US Airways pilot at each of these airports to assist and coordinate the transportation to the ALPA offices

The document will also contain the following information and links:

* PHL buses to Herndon, which is available to all pilots system-wide.

* Driving instructions from both IAD and DCA to Herndon.

* Links to Mapquest, Amtrak, Metro Airport Authority, and car rentals.

W.A.R. Item 516

FAA AIM, Chapter 8, 8-1-1, Fitness for flight

Paragraph F2, Most pilots do not leave stress “on the ground.â€￾ Therefore, when more than usual difficulties are being experienced, a pilot should consider delaying flight until these difficulties are satisfactorily resolved.

Please remember we still have 1,490 pilots on furlough, 251 pilots have been recalled and on May 7th, the most junior seniority number was 3,799 with a seniority date of April 12, 1999.

As always, look out for each other, keep your families first, fly safe and thanks for listening.

 

[EastUS]

ALPA MEC CODE-A-PHONE UPDATE - May 17, 2007

The ALPA office in Herndon is not in a convenient location, and there is no public transportation available.

Barring showing up with pitcforks and torches..and taking the appropriate emergency measures for a "Wing" Fire = Lock all the doors to make sure none of the bassards get out...What's the point?

Cue up Blazing Saddles with the GOV stating: "Gentlemen!..This is serious!...We've got to protect our phoney-baloney jobs!"...and that's all they're concerned with.

Decertify NOW

 

[AWA320]

Barring showing up with pitcforks and torches..and taking the appropriate emergency measures for a "Wing" Fire = Lock all the doors to make sure none of the bassards get out...What's the point?

Cue up Blazing Saddles with the GOV stating: "Gentlemen!..This is serious!...We've got to protect our phoney-baloney jobs!"...and that's all they're concerned with.

Decertify NOW

Still cluless!!! Do some research before you go spouting off!! You could change unions ten times over and it would never change the arbitrated award. You and your phl bullys will go to herndon in monday and bring shame on all of us!

 

[Bud8EE]

Still cluless!!! Do some research before you go spouting off!! You could change unions ten times over and it would never change the arbitrated award. You and your phl bullys will go to herndon in monday and bring shame on all of us!

I think you are the one who lacks understanding. While the arbitration award is, what it is, it appears their group is not in any rush to a single contract. They are better off on their own and enjoying the benefits of their own attrition as long as they can, which can be a very long time. They will enjoy the PIT, PHL, CLT, DCA, BOS, and LGA flying and you all can enjoy the PHX flying. Why complain about that, unless you feel like the cat who ate the canary with the Nicalou award. Using the "we all need to work to a better contract", is laughable because I am sure your management is laughing at you.

Your combined group will never get a good contract because of the mess of this merger, certainly not one that would entice the East to give up this fight. Your management has to much leverage and they know it, and assuredly they know you know it. As said before, what kind of action can you take without unity? None. Look how that worked out for CAL, and the initial strike breakers(not new hires) did it out of desperation and fear of not knowing what to do and being unprepared. Here you have thousands who are angry, and couldn't give a rat's a$$ about ALPA. Whether you agree or not, or me or anyone else is irrelevant. It is human nature, it is known that the feelings and motivation exists, and one thing airline management understands and has figured out, is human nature and they know the nature of pilots better than pilots know themselves.

 

[careerfurloughee]

I think you are the one who lacks understanding. While the arbitration award is, what it is, it appears their group is not in any rush to a single contract. They are better off on their own and enjoying the benefits of their own attrition as long as they can, which can be a very long time. They will enjoy the PIT, PHL, CLT, DCA, BOS, and LGA flying and you all can enjoy the PHX flying. Why complain about that, unless you feel like the cat who ate the canary with the Nicalou award. Using the "we all need to work to a better contract", is laughable because I am sure your management is laughing at you.

Your combined group will never get a good contract because of the mess of this merger, certainly not one that would entice the East to give up this fight. Your management has to much leverage and they know it, and assuredly they know you know it. As said before, what kind of action can you take without unity? None. Look how that worked out for CAL, and the initial strike breakers(not new hires) did it out of desperation and fear of not knowing what to do and being unprepared. Here you have thousands who are angry, and couldn't give a rat's a$$ about ALPA. Whether you agree or not, or me or anyone else is irrelevant. It is human nature, it is known that the feelings and motivation exists, and one thing airline management understands and has figured out, is human nature and they know the nature of pilots better than pilots know themselves.

Everyone should save this post. This guy gets it. Go back in five years and read this post again and it will all make sense to those that don't get it.

 

[Piedmont1984]

Still cluless!!! Do some research before you go spouting off!! You could change unions ten times over and it would never change the arbitrated award. You and your phl bullys will go to herndon in monday and bring shame on all of us!

I say again. ALPA Nat'l and their attorneys may pull a "Pontius Pilot" routine on Monday. It will not matter.
The list as it stands is unworkable.

Right now it is just paper with names on it. It's implementation is an entirely different matter.

 

[safety stud]

Right now it is just paper with names on it. It's implementation is an entirely different matter.

This post says it all...
Bravo...

 

[Junebug172]

Right now it is just paper with names on it. It's implementation is an entirely different matter.

True, but at the expense of your quality of life. Ii don't know how many of your senior guys want to keep working FAR's.

 

[hp_fa]

I say again. ALPA Nat'l and their attorneys may pull a "Pontius Pilot" routine on Monday. It will not matter.
The list as it stands is unworkable.

Right now it is just paper with names on it. It's implementation is an entirely different matter.

I disagree and I'll tell you why. According to everything I have read here ALPA is required to stand behind and enforce any and all binding arbitrations among it's member coucils. **IF** ALPA were to do otherwise all the councils of all the other member airlines would likely have extreme problems with ALPA not enforcing it's own provisions.

 

[autofixer]

True, but at the expense of your quality of life. Ii don't know how many of your senior guys want to keep working FAR's.

The senior guys (Senior = 25/27 years vs. 20/22 years = Junior) are flying international, for the most part. FARs are not really applicable.

 

[prechilill]

I think you are the one who lacks understanding. While the arbitration award is, what it is, it appears their group is not in any rush to a single contract. They are better off on their own and enjoying the benefits of their own attrition as long as they can, which can be a very long time. They will enjoy the PIT, PHL, CLT, DCA, BOS, and LGA flying and you all can enjoy the PHX flying. Why complain about that, unless you feel like the cat who ate the canary with the Nicalou award. Using the "we all need to work to a better contract", is laughable because I am sure your management is laughing at you.

Your combined group will never get a good contract because of the mess of this merger, certainly not one that would entice the East to give up this fight. Your management has to much leverage and they know it, and assuredly they know you know it. As said before, what kind of action can you take without unity? None. Look how that worked out for CAL, and the initial strike breakers(not new hires) did it out of desperation and fear of not knowing what to do and being unprepared. Here you have thousands who are angry, and couldn't give a rat's a$$ about ALPA. Whether you agree or not, or me or anyone else is irrelevant. It is human nature, it is known that the feelings and motivation exists, and one thing airline management understands and has figured out, is human nature and they know the nature of pilots better than pilots know themselves.

Translation: I am a USAir pilot, the center of the universe, and the only fair integration was to staple the America West pilots...DOH DOH DOH. I wonder why the rest of the world can't see it my way?

 

[exB717Flyer]

Your combined group will never get a good contract because of the mess of this merger, certainly not one that would entice the East to give up this fight.

So lemme see if I've got it straight: to achieve unity the AWA pilots must agree that the Nicolau Award was preposperous and give in to whatever demands will appease the USAirways pilots. Do I have it right?

 

[Bud8EE]

So lemme see if I've got it straight: to achieve unity the AWA pilots must agree that the Nicolau Award was preposperous and give in to whatever demands will appease the USAirways pilots. Do I have it right?

From their point of view, their is no ALPA, so the obviously feel the Nicolau Award is just a piece of paper with names on it.

I think its obvious they are going to fight it or just go it alone. Why adhere to a "National" merger policy when you feel a national union doesn't exist and the reality of the profession is every man or pilot group for themselves.

 

[USA320Pilot]

Bud8EEE's comments are accurate.

If the Exeuctive Council does not intervene, which I believe will probabaly not occur, then ALPA will likely be decertified at US Airways and then at America West. A new union will likely be voted in and it is my understanding from key ALPA sources the like successor is the Teamsters.

Moreover, I have just heard from an ALPA EVP there are rumblings United Airlines (of all pilot groups now is interested in DOH if they merge with Continental) and they are considering leaving ALPA too!

Meanwhile, ALPA East is still negotiating new contract per requirements of the Transition Agreement, but they told their America West counterparts and the Company that they cannot meet for 8-10 weeks, which would make the next negotiation date in the end of July or early August (if not delayed again).

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[AWA320]

From their point of view, their is no ALPA, so the obviously feel the Nicolau Award is just a piece of paper with names on it.

I think its obvious they are going to fight it or just go it alone. Why adhere to a "National" merger policy when you feel a national union doesn't exist and the reality of the profession is every man or pilot group for themselves.

You know that's fine and I fully understand your position. I certainly don't agree but I do understand. Having said that we will charge our MEC and NC to work with the company to get a deal for the AWA pilots. We don't relish this action nor do we take pleasure in having to leave you in LOA 93. This is an extremely unpleasent event and I hope you realize this. I suggest to that you read NWA thread on this subject. No one on this side of the yard made out or got this so called windfall that you speak of. It is my honest belief that we could obtain a contract worth enough money to help ease what many are feeling.