Frequently Asked Questions about our executives' new business plan...
Is CWA negotiating with management about the new business plan?
No, we have not had any negotiating meetings and none have been requested by management.
Has CWA been informed of the content of the "New Business Plan" or been told what concessions or cutbacks management is seeking from employees?
No, we have not been informed of the content of the "New Business Plan." Our CWA research department received an operational/financial background briefing by management during the week of March 29, but it contained no new information about the business plan, and no indication of what management is planning to ask from employees.
Is management going to request negotiations about new concessions?
Executives have said repeatedly in newspaper interviews and WebCasts that they are going to request negotiations, but no request has been made to CWA.
If US Airways executives request negotiations, will CWA meet with them?
CWA never refuses a request to meet and discuss issues, however there is no requirement or expectation that such meetings must lead to an agreement between CWA and management.
If CWA negotiates with management, who would be present for CWA?
If CWA negotiates with management we would be represented by our full negotiating team: all local presidents, CWA staff assigned to US Airways, and attorneys and research economists as needed. If there were a need for specialized outside counsel or analysts, we would hire them as well.
Is the CWA negotiating team authorized to amend our contract without a membership vote?
No. Here's the process:
If management requests negotiations, and
If management and the CWA negotiating team reach an agreement on the issues (called a "tentative agreement"),
Then that agreement, recommended by the negotiating team, would have to be ratified by a vote of the members before it could be signed and put into effect.
If there were no agreement reached between management and the CWA negotiating team, couldn't US Airways Executives just put their offer to a vote of the members?
No. The National Mediation Board and labor law does not recognize any management-conducted vote as a legitimate, for the obvious reason that executives' interests are different from the employees' interests, and that management could manipulate or dominate such a voting process.
CWA Local Officers and Staff
Is CWA negotiating with management about the new business plan?
No, we have not had any negotiating meetings and none have been requested by management.
Has CWA been informed of the content of the "New Business Plan" or been told what concessions or cutbacks management is seeking from employees?
No, we have not been informed of the content of the "New Business Plan." Our CWA research department received an operational/financial background briefing by management during the week of March 29, but it contained no new information about the business plan, and no indication of what management is planning to ask from employees.
Is management going to request negotiations about new concessions?
Executives have said repeatedly in newspaper interviews and WebCasts that they are going to request negotiations, but no request has been made to CWA.
If US Airways executives request negotiations, will CWA meet with them?
CWA never refuses a request to meet and discuss issues, however there is no requirement or expectation that such meetings must lead to an agreement between CWA and management.
If CWA negotiates with management, who would be present for CWA?
If CWA negotiates with management we would be represented by our full negotiating team: all local presidents, CWA staff assigned to US Airways, and attorneys and research economists as needed. If there were a need for specialized outside counsel or analysts, we would hire them as well.
Is the CWA negotiating team authorized to amend our contract without a membership vote?
No. Here's the process:
If management requests negotiations, and
If management and the CWA negotiating team reach an agreement on the issues (called a "tentative agreement"),
Then that agreement, recommended by the negotiating team, would have to be ratified by a vote of the members before it could be signed and put into effect.
If there were no agreement reached between management and the CWA negotiating team, couldn't US Airways Executives just put their offer to a vote of the members?
No. The National Mediation Board and labor law does not recognize any management-conducted vote as a legitimate, for the obvious reason that executives' interests are different from the employees' interests, and that management could manipulate or dominate such a voting process.
CWA Local Officers and Staff
