AWA ALPA LEC 62 Update

USA320Pilot

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AWA LEC 62 Update – July 20, 2007

From: Your Elected Representatives
To: All Council 62 Pilots

This week we attended a joint MEC meeting in Washington, D.C. called by ALPA President John Prater to discuss the future of both pilot groups.

As you are aware, the east MEC made a request back in May to the ALPA Executive Council (EC) to vacate the Nicolau Award as in their opinion it did not conform to ALPA Merger Policy. Since that request was made, the EC has not ruled on this issue. Instead, they passed a resolution calling for the establishment of a committee that would seek to “assist the MEC’s and JNC in achieving the goal of developing consensual approaches that promote mutual career progression and mutual success, as part of achieving a an acceptable single collective bargaining agreement that improves pay, benefits, work rules and job security for both pilot groups, with the expectation that the MEC’s and JNC will cooperate and participate in this process.â€

ALPA First Vice-President Capt. Paul Rice was charged with leading this committee and reporting back to the EC on its findings. Last week, our Negotiating Committee met with Capt. Rice and clearly articulated the AWA MEC’s position and our vision for the future. The message was clear: ALPA needs to accept, defend, and present the Nicolau Award to US Airways management and then facilitate talks between the east and west pilots groups to achieve a joint contract that economically moves both pilot groups forward.

On Tuesday we brought this message to the EC and the east MEC. Where the east MEC was seeking to vacate the Award and presenting solutions that would forever separate the two pilot groups, we sought the application of the rule of law and a strict adherence to our collective plan as defined in the Transition Agreement. This plan once implemented will bring substantial pay, work rule, and job security improvements to both pilot groups.

Nearly three months after Arbitrator Nicolau’s decision, we sit here today in the predicament we are in because of false expectations, poor leadership, and ultimately a lack of integrity by the east MEC. From the very beginning they have told their pilots what to expect and how to act. No less than five times they were told that their solution was unworkable and they needed amend their position. Instead of heeding the sage advice of Arbitrator Nicolau, they forged ahead and we now all know the results.

We would like to thank our pilot group for the professionalism, restraint, and unity displayed during these trying times. We are in a righteous position and ultimately the rule of law must be followed. We are receiving excellent counsel from our outside merger attorney Jeff Freund and we are following his advice. Only through a joint contract that must be ratified separately by both MEC’s and both pilot groups will we fulfill the charge of the Rice committee to improve the pay, benefits, work rules, and job security of both pilot groups.

You have elected us to represent your interests, but we also feel an obligation to our fellow pilots that deserve more from their elected leaders. We firmly believe that both pilot groups should be given the opportunity to determine their futures through the democratic ratification process. It would be truly unfortunate for the east MEC to deny their pilots this right.

Your professionalism, unity, and focus on safety have been noticed and are appreciated at all levels within our union.

Please contact us with any questions or suggestions!

In Solidarity,

Captain Rick Pitt – Chairman
Captain CJ Szmal – Vice Chairman
First Officer Mike Bendett – Secretary/Treasurer
 
Has anyone bothered to ask the East MEC why they didn't give y'all access to the arbitration hearing transcripts? What were they trying to hide?
 
Has anyone bothered to ask the East MEC why they didn't give y'all access to the arbitration hearing transcripts? What were they trying to hide?


Who cares unless they agreed to the conclusions of Nicolau ahead of time? I doubt that is the case.

The suggestion that the stance of the East MEC has something to hide is silly. An impartial arbitrator would never be vindictive would he?
 
Who cares unless they agreed to the conclusions of Nicolau ahead of time? I doubt that is the case.

The suggestion that the stance of the East MEC has something to hide is silly. An impartial arbitrator would never be vindictive would he?

This latest proganda? =It's the same ol' same ol' = one "tribe" of Alpo idiots attacking another to advance their own agenda. It's full of the standard-issue BS about: "It's THEIR fault!!"..and pumped up with such gems as: "Nearly three months after Arbitrator Nicolau’s decision, we sit here today in the predicament we are in because of false expectations, poor leadership, and ultimately a lack of integrity by the east MEC."..and goes on with noting their (AWA) "righteous position"...spare us all Puh-leeeze!!

The essential thing is that Alpo's continually proving itself to be a worthless farce as any semblance of a "Union"..and this East vs West crap's just detritus attendant to that process.

"NATIONAL Union"???? My arse.
 
This latest proganda? =It's the same ol' same ol' = one "tribe" of Alpo idiots attacking another to advance their own agenda. It's full of the standard-issue BS about: "It's THEIR fault!!"..and pumped up with such gems as: "Nearly three months after Arbitrator Nicolau’s decision, we sit here today in the predicament we are in because of false expectations, poor leadership, and ultimately a lack of integrity by the east MEC."..and goes on with noting their (AWA) "righteous position"...spare us all Puh-leeeze!!

The essential thing is that Alpo's continually proving itself to be a worthless farce as any semblance of a "Union"..and this East vs West crap's just detritus attendant to that process.

"NATIONAL Union"???? My arse.
We can dress up the pig in any clothes we want and still the same problems exist. If only a new union would be the magic pill for the pilots of US Airways.

Item: I used my first "grotesque metaphor" of the day ussnark and it is only 3:20 pm out in the desert.
 
Who cares unless they agreed to the conclusions of Nicolau ahead of time?
Most rational outside observers would agree that the Easties had unreaslistic expectations for the Nic Award. Knowing what Nicolau actually said during the hearings as opposed to your MEC's watered-down, slanted summaries, would've provided you valuable information to help temper your expectations.
The suggestion that the stance of the East MEC has something to hide is silly.
I suspect gross negligence rather than malice. They were afraid to tell you the truth for fear of being recalled.
An impartial arbitrator would never be vindictive would he?
Not likely. Nic's explanations don't reveal any vindictiveness that I can see.

I keep bringing up the transcripts issue because you seem to keep blindly following your MEC's path even when they're leading you to more misery. And yes, your misery could also become my misery.
 
We can dress up the pig in any clothes we want and still the same problems exist. If only a new union would be the magic pill for the pilots of US Airways.

I don't offer that any magic pill's possible, and I agree that the problem's in place, and we'll have to sort out this huge mess in some way that'll actually work for all of us. Such won't be easy, but I'll hope that it's a do-able thing. One thing's certain = Alpo's made things worse, rather than better once again.
 
It is a conspiracy. I get it now.
Conspiracy, no. Incompetence, yes. And the truly amazing thing is y'all keep following your leadership into oblivion. Y'all blame everybody in the world for the Nic Award except for your own leadership and yourselves.
 
Conspiracy, no. Incompetence, yes. And the truly amazing thing is y'all keep following your leadership into oblivion. Y'all blame everybody in the world for the Nic Award except for your own leadership and yourselves.

In case it's thus far totally escaped you; many of us are hardly interested in "following" anything Alpo anymore. I agree with your tag of incompetance...but I extend it to pretty much all things Alpo. As for blaming "ourselves"?, there weren't any of "ourselves" on the MECs of either side.
 
Conspiracy, no. Incompetence, yes. And the truly amazing thing is y'all keep following your leadership into oblivion. Y'all blame everybody in the world for the Nic Award except for your own leadership and yourselves.

Nicolua made the decision. He is responsible for the decision he made. ALPA is responsible to correct it. The pipe dream of ascribing guilt to the ones who have been stolen from so one can feel justified in collecting the lottery ticket at their expense is pathetic.
 
That's not only delusional. That's just plain stupid.

Typically profound sound bites from you...Ummm...Any actual THOUGHTS? :blink: You know? = Proffered notions put forth in totality?...Coherent expressions? Anything that actually adds to the alleged discussion? Something that colors the situation so as to add value, and serve as stimulus towards the resolution of conflicting positions?...Didn't think so...sigh.

Alpo's created a huge mess that's fully proving itself unworkable, with virtual civil war between two pilot groups, and economic distress for all involved being the result. You don't see any attendant duty to Alpo to attempt any fix? Refresh my memory: WTF IS the purpose of any "union"?