Again? When was the first time? Nothing so far has gone your way. You can't even cash the lottery ticket and you might as well shred it.
It wasn't all that long ago that I laughed my butt off watching you weenies at a Town Hall meeting with Doug whining over not getting any "wins" in the merger.
You guys are pathetic chest-thumpers. Bring on your best effort. Clean our clocks? I doubt you can even do a decent job cleaning your own butts 'cause we can smell the PHX stink all the way to PHL.
You idiots, here's round two, your "leverage" over china flying just went buh-bye. Round one was the Nic. in case you didn't get it.
April 9, 2008
Fellow Pilots:
In special session yesterday, the AWA MEC voted unanimously to approve two tentative agreements.
The first is the “A330 Aircraft Agreement†Letter of Agreement, which the MEC has reviewed and endorsed. Balloting opens today and applicable documents have been placed up on the AWA MEC website and attached to this message for your review and consideration. The A330 LOA is contingent upon a favorable pilot ratification vote.
A330 Flying LOA Highlights
The highlights of the A330 LOA are as follows:
Establishment of a 12-year pay scale for AWA pilots
Rates equivalent to AAA (East) Book
Application of international override to all A330 Flying (domestic or international) of $5.33 per hour for Captains and $3.53 per hour for First Officers
With the override applying to all A330 operations, the effective 12-year Captain pay rate will be $164.89, and the effective 12-year First Officer pay rate will be $112.51 for ALL A330 flying
A “me too†clause ensures a pay raise for AWA pilots flying A330 equipment if provided to the AAA pilots
Increased per diem for A330 flying with a “me too†clause that triggers if AAA pilots receive an increase in per diem
Rules for pairing construction and reserve call out that reflect the longer stage lengths of transoceanic flying
Establishment of an implementation process that begins three months before and extends six months after this type of flying is announced and includes expedited System Board access
Definition of hotel selection rights and onboard rest facilities
One of our primary concerns when we began this negotiation was to ensure that management could not use our agreement as a means to whipsaw us against the East pilots or use their agreement against us. With this directive in mind, our negotiators started with the tentatively agreed upon International Operations Section from our JNC discussions (which was based upon the AAA contract), and fine tuned it to our Pilots’ Agreement. This fine tuning was required because the JNC agreement was designed to work with a new single agreement, not necessarily our AWA Pilots’ Agreement.
In order to prevent this whipsawing, we agreed to operate the equipment at the present East pay rates, including any increases in those rates. Similarly, per diem is also at the present East rate, including any increases. Most of the work rules—including definitions, staffing, transportation and lodging, report and release times, workers’ compensation, lost luggage, and foreign domicile allowance—are from the joint agreement.
For purposes of A330 international flying, there were several areas of our present Pilots’ Agreement that needed modification because our domestic rules do not necessarily work in international operations. To this end, we restricted the A330 transoceanic pairings to consist of either one transoceanic leg preceded by an operating domestic leg if a third pilot is in the cockpit or one transoceanic leg preceded or followed by a deadhead (without a third pilot). We also allowed longer scheduled and actual duty limitations and relief from certain domestic pairing construction rules (e.g., no flip flops, no back-to-back red eyes) to account for the augmented crews and nature of this long haul flying.
The LOA contemplates a minimum of fourteen hours of rest prior to and during pairing operations. I want to stress the word “minimum†as the FARs require that for this type of international flying, you receive rest of double the last flight leg. So, a crew flying an eight hour leg would receive 16 hours rest as opposed to the minimum of 14 hours.
During our discussions with management, we were informed that they anticipate initially that if two A330-200 aircraft were assigned in Phoenix, that fleet will support approximately 25 Captains and 40 First Officers. Due to the small size of this fleet and the fact that most of the pairings will be identical (other than day of operation), we needed to modify our no fly provisions for A330 operations. We agreed to limit the number of pilots someone can list and provided relief for the assignment of reserves on the day of operation. We also agreed that given the small number of pilots on this fleet, that if the PBS solution cannot solve, then Crew Scheduling can run the solution without no fly. Obviously, our PBS Committee will be involved at that phase and will monitor the situation carefully. I should also mention that these no fly limitations will snap back to our current book when the A330 fleet grows to 100 Captains in a domicile.
Our team realized that this LOA represents a long-awaited return to the long haul world for the America West pilots and that there may be unanticipated consequences from entering into such an agreement without knowing when the aircraft will arrive or what the route structure will look like. Accordingly, we agreed that three months prior to the first aircraft arriving and continuing for six months thereafter, the Company and Association shall work together to implement this LOA. This will allow our PBS, Scheduling, and Training Committees to have a say in bringing this new equipment on-line. Also, if we cannot resolve potential disagreements, we have captured the right to expedited arbitration to resolve the dispute.
Editorially, I will note that because the AAA MEC declined to discuss terms for new A330 flying in JNC negotiations, any leverage to negotiate more favorable terms rapidly shifts to management when the MECs negotiate separately. It is safe to say that any deal that either pilot group can negotiate separately pales in comparison to what we can achieve negotiating together with 5,200 unified pilots behind both MECs. That said, I am confident that should we need to revise this LOA, we will have the ability to do so during our own Section 6 negotiations, or more preferably, as part of a joint contract.
It is also important to point out that this type of flying may become a reality sooner than expected in PHX. Phoenix to Frankfurt was abandoned by Lufthansa in 2004, mainly due to lack of feed, as well as not having have the right type of aircraft available to fit this market. If our management is able to negotiate a Star Alliance code, PHX-FRA could be started with minimal outlay (we already have personnel in PHX and FRA), and the A330-200 aircraft fits this route perfectly. Management has stated they don’t see starting this run until 2010, but my sincere hope is that they reevaluate in the terms of the above parameters and a declining U.S. dollar, and consider starting this up sooner rather than later. Phoenix to London and Phoenix to Tokyo have also been mentioned.
It is critical that all pilots read the tentative agreement and ask any questions you may have. Balloting will begin tonight at 9 p.m. ET and close on April 16 at 3 p.m. ET. Instructions on how to cast your vote will be emailed this evening and are posted on the right side of the AWA MEC website under “A330 Flying LOA.†The MEC has unanimously endorsed this LOA and I personally recommend that all pilots vote IN FAVOR of the A330 LOA.
B757 Grievance Settlement Agreement
The second agreement we reached pertains to several outstanding grievances and the remedy portion of a recent arbitration award. The outstanding grievances arose when management neglected to apply the “Whitlow†interpretation to flag operations when assigning reserve pilots to such flights. The arbitration award addresses the method by which management scheduled B757 pilots for their overwater route qualification flights to Hawaii in 2005. In Arbitrator Kasher’s decision, he ruled that the Company technically violated our contract, but went on to hint that the method through which the Company scheduled this training seemed reasonable under the circumstances. Accordingly, Arbitrator Kasher told the parties to find a remedy that worked and if we failed to do so, he would issue one for us. Our Negotiating Committee met with management to reach an agreement, and upon doing so, presented it to the MEC who unanimously accepted the attached LOU. The highlights of the Settlement LOU are as follows:
Application of international override to all B757 Hawaii Flying of $5.33 per hour for Captains and $3.53 per hour for First Officers effective May 1, 2008
Application of domestic reserve rest rules (i.e. “Whitlow†rules) to Hawaii and similar flag operations
I am pleased to note that we were able to negotiate terms that will finally apply the international override to our Hawaii operations after a long battle. I encourage all pilots to familiarize themselves with this LOU, and ensure that they have a clear understanding of the Agreement. For those pilots flying to/from Hawaii and Costa Rica, payroll should be programmed by May 1, 2008 to include your new override pay.
Again, this Settlement Agreement was ratified by the MEC, so you are only voting on the A330 Aircraft Agreement LOA.
As always, please fly safe and secure.
Fraternally,
Captain John McIlvenna
AWA MEC Chairman
