Bits & Pieces

USA320Pilot

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May 18, 2003
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Bits & Pieces

• In a recent US Airways webcast on theHub.com Doug Parker indicated that all current crew bases will remain open. Parker felt that US Airways had too many bases, however upon further review 7 bases seems to be the optimal number for our network. There are no plans to further expand Latin and South American operations.

• Parker also indicated that ALPA (or any union) could have either the US Airways or America West pilot contract, but not cherry pick the best of both because it’s the company's intention to keep labor costs at pre-merger costs.

• Parker also said that there are no current M&A negotiations underway with either Delta or Northwest, however, if either of those airline’s decide consolidation needs to be part of their bankruptcy “exit plan†US Airways would be negligent to not discuss this with their “executive suiteâ€. Parker expects more domestic expansion connecting cities that only offer service to pre-merger East and West hubs (Midwest).

In my opinion, this will be done with EMB-190s.

• According to a poster discussing EMB-190 operations in the CLT “B†Concourse crew room, the first EMB-190 revenue flight will be December 14. Parker indicated that for the foreseeable future all EMB-190 operations will be on the East Coast.

• From US AIrways FAQ's on July 21, where does our order for the A350 stand now that Airbus is redesigning the plane and delaying its launch?

We’re in constant contact with Airbus and are evaluating their revised A350 plan to confirm the aircraft still fits our needs (including the economics and seating capacity). In addition to the revised specifications for the A350, we’re also looking at the impact of a delayed delivery as it relates to our long-range, wide-body fleet needs. We now anticipate the earliest potential delivery of the A350 in 2013 – about 18 to 24 months behind schedule. We will be working closely with Airbus over the next few months on these issues. Airbus has been a valued partner of US Airways for several years and, you’ll recall, played an important role by providing some debt financing for our merger.

• US Airways expects more transatlantic expansion into long-thin markets with B757 ETOPS aircraft. In a previous news media interview, Scott Kirby, US Airways’ executive vice president of marketing and sales indicated there will be 2 to 3 European cities added to the route network in both 2007 and 2008. In his webcast Parker indicated US Airways would like to add service from Phoenix to both London and Frankfurt, but the A-330 does not have the range and the company does not have the aircraft to do so (yet).

• Two AWA ALPA Negotiating Committee Member’s Resign

Dear JR Baker:

Recent events demand that we resign from our positions on the America West Negotiating Committee, effective July 21, 2006.

Our disagreement with the current direction of negotiations as well as our inability to influence our current leadership to be steadfast in our initial pledge to the pilot group of not moving backwards from our current Bargaining Agreement, has prevented us from performing our jobs effectively. Adding to the above is the fact that both of us have been effectively cut out of the process.

Our experience in working on behalf of the America West pilots has taught us much, and we are grateful for the opportunity. We are especially proud of the progress achieved to date, but can not longer see a good outcome from this point forward due to a fundamental shift in the Committee’s goal.

We appreciate having had the opportunity to serve this pilot group and look forward to once again sharing the flight deck with all of you. We wish all of you the best.

In solidarity,

James “Rocky†Calveri
Antonio Lozano


Regards,

USA320Pilot
 
Bits & Pieces


• Two AWA ALPA Negotiating Committee Member’s Resign

Dear JR Baker:

Recent events demand that we resign from our positions on the America West Negotiating Committee, effective July 21, 2006.

our inability to influence our current leadership to be steadfast in our initial pledge to the pilot group of not moving backwards

Regards,

USA320Pilot

Getting warmed up for more give backs USA320?
 
Give it time and you too will have the same feelings about the now famous poster :ph34r:
 
Look who's back!

It's funny how he cannot answer BoeingBoy's or my questions, yet pops right out in front to once again push management's agenda! I wonder who put him up to this? Cost-neutral? Did they scare him with more liquidation talk? Something must be up...

Unfortunately, this is not new behavior for him.

The message below was put out by our friend just days before the voting ended on ALPA's LOA93. At the time this was written, I understand he was on Bruce Ashby’s e-mail distribution list. What a good union member!

He gets fed this crap from management, and yet never figures out that he’s just being used as a dupe.

By the way, how’s that Transformation Plan with the 279 aircraft doing? How many more does AWA have to park before our combined fleet reaches the 279 number? How’s all that growth in LGA and DCA? How long until our labor groups see the $700 million in cost cuts from management that were promised?

And how close are we to reaching 6 cents per mile?

Anyone? USA320? USA320?

From: XXXX XXXX
To: [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected]
Sent: Friday, October 15, 2004 6:41 PM
Subject: [ALPA138Pilots] US Airways not selling aircraft - fleet to grow!!

According to vice president of flight operations Captain Ed Bular, "The Transformation Plan calls for 279 aircraft and that is exactly what we plan to do."

The company just finished the February schedule this week and the February fleet plan, which uses all of the company's aircraft...in fact it is up 2 since management deferred some optional maintenance to increase the "in service" numbers. The AFA information is bogus, was from the first bankruptcy, and should be disregarded.

Separately the February schedule can now be loaded into Sabre with today's court ruling. The schedule will see LGA grow by about 250%, increased service at DCA, PHL, & CLT and the opening of the FLL international gateway.

Regards,

XXXX XXXX
 
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  • #9
To suggest anybody wants a concession or anybody wants to see another employee take a concession is nonsense. There will be no employee concessions during joint contract talks and much of what both management and labor say in public are third party comments to manipulate employee thoughts. It’s always been that way and it will always be that way in the future.

In regard to answering questions, I do not read every post and I may not respond to people who are two-faced or purposely misrepresent information. In regard to BoeingBoy’s questions (although I may have missed some) I believe I have answered his questions.

BoeingBoy’s agenda is to try and discredit the messenger because of his support of the ALPA RC4, which the last two MEC chairman have said on five separate occasions the RC4 misrepresented ALPA information.

A challenge is to have credibility when you support people who apparently lack character in the eyes of the MEC chairman.

Finally, Ardenian I answered your comments about the post you keep making from a private message board over-and-over. I find it intesting that you take private information and post it in a public forum and then hide behind a computer screen insulting other’s, which I believe lacks courage.

The truth is the RC4 took action into their own with over 50 “roll call†votes. These votes were against the advice of the ALPA’s president, ALPA’s professional negotiators, ALPA’s economists, ALPA’s legal staff, ALPA’s financial advisors, every MEC Officer, and 2/3 of the MEC.

Did you miss that point? Moreover, do you think four line pilot's who became Representatives know more than ALPA's entire staff and most of the MEC?

I elected to listen to these men and women versus four line pilots who had very little negotiating experience, which is why I wrote my comments on this and other message boards.

When would now be a good time to get over your anger because I believe you’re only hurting your self. You’re not hurting me and I could care less what you write or think because you clearly do not know what you're talking about.

Best regards,

USA320Pilot
 
To suggest anybody wants a concession or anybody wants to see another employee take a concession is nonsense.



"As for ALPA being able to stop any of this, the only way is to
capitulate and give the company far in excess of $295 million a year
as stipulated in the latest company "proposal".
Respectfully,
NAME DELETED BY MODERATOR-- Please do not identify posters by name.

There is NO way the same person can be connected to these quotes. I just wanted to point that out, in case anyone tried to prove otherwise. NO CONNNECTION. Those of you that continue to say otherwise should stop with your BS.


Just setting you all straight..Greeter

P.S. History is my FAVORITE subject!!!
 
To suggest anybody wants a concession or anybody wants to see another employee take a concession is nonsense.

Best regards,

USA320Pilot
Are you sure about that?

From the Charlotte Observer, written by you!

From the July 26, 2002 Charlotte Observer:

UNIONS CAN SINK US AIRWAYS WITHOUT AGREEMENTS FROM ALL ITS UNIONS, AIRLINE'S FUTURE IS BLEAK

In recent days US Airways has made much progress toward ensuring that it will have a future. It has reached tentative contract restructuring agreements with its pilots, flight attendants and the Transport Workers Union, which represents the dispatchers, simulator engineers and flight crew training instructors, and with subsidiary PSA Airlines' pilots and flight attendants.

The International Association of Machinists (IAM) unit representing mechanics is close to a deal, and the IAM Fleet Service negotiators are making good progress.

But that's not enough.

The Communication Workers of America (CWA), which represents customer service and reservation agents, remains far from agreement with the company.

US Airways is on the brink of court-ordered bankruptcy because its situation is "unsustainable." Failure to improve the situation will have devastating effects on employees, customers and companies that depend on US Airways.


The airline has received a "conditional" federal loan guarantee approval, but can't use those funds unless it gets restructuring agreements with all labor groups, in accordance with the business plan submitted to the Air Transportation Stabilization Board (ATSB).

Needed for loan guarantees

Major obstacles remain in the way of a voluntary restructuring.

US Airways may not be able to reach agreements with lenders without tentative agreements with the remaining unions. Unless it has those agreements the company wouldn't get final ATSB loan guarantee approval, government sources believe.

How bad is the situation? The carrier continues to burn cash during what is historically the best-performing time of year. Ten months after Sept. 11, US Airways has not resolved its cost problems, the economy remains sluggish, revenue is off 20 percent and low-cost competitors are aggressively attacking its market share. The industry has not recovered as expected.

Domestic fares are at 15-year lows. Shifts in buying patterns and travel options indicate airlines may never get the revenue per available seat mile they previously enjoyed.

Disturbing reports

US Airways needs restructuring agreements for either a voluntary restructuring or successful bankruptcy reorganization. If the company gets union concessions and qualifies for government financing, then if it's forced into bankruptcy, it probably could get in and out of bankruptcy quickly.

What's disturbing are reports that the CWA leadership is misleading its members. Last Friday, company negotiators asked the union to meet, to try and resolve their differences. The union said its negotiators couldn't meet, but its advisers would be available. However, I'm told that when management tried to schedule a meeting, they were told the advisers had other commitments. Meanwhile, the CWA issued a report telling its members the company met with the advisers last weekend - which management disputes.

Brinkmanship by any union could push the airline into bankruptcy. It's disappointing to see a relatively small group of employees risk the destruction of a viable company, with a devastating effect on 40,000 employees and their families.

No one can be sure what will happen in bankruptcy, but it's certain that if the company reorganizes and successfully comes out of bankruptcy, the labor groups that don't have tentative agreements with the company prior to bankruptcy will lose.

As in other union negotiations, the parties that reach savings targeted in the business plan will get a bankruptcy protection letter, which protects against even deeper salary and benefit cuts if the company enters
bankruptcy.

Some may face pay cuts

If the company files for bankruptcy, workers in labor groups without that bankruptcy protection letter may face deep cuts in pay and benefits, loss of unused sick and vacation time, slashed retirement benefits and a crash in
the value of common stock in 401(k) accounts. In addition, they'll work for a smaller airline that will hand out layoff notices at once with no severance pay, and will pay members of unprotected unions significantly less.

Each day the company moves nearer bankruptcy. New chief executive officer David Siegel has brought a breath of fresh air to management. US Airways' best chance to survive is for unions and creditors to bet on him and his
team. Employees wanting to keep their jobs must impress upon union rank-and-file employees the importance of ordering union leaders back to the bargaining table at once, to reach an agreement that is 85 percent of the targeted concessions.


The choice is simple: Either all stakeholders move past their anger, frustration and denial to obtain and ratify restructuring agreements, or the carrier will almost certainly enter bankruptcy.

History has shown only two major airlines have successfully restructured in bankruptcy - not good odds for this company to continue operation.

XXXXXXXXXX is a US Airways captain

Gee a lot of misinformation in that article and things happened anyhow.
 
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  • #12
700UW:

That’s what I mean about misrepresentation. Interestingly, Hezbollah and Al Qaida use misrepresentation too.

That Op-Ed column was written during “Bankruptcy One†when the IAM was not participating in that restructuring even though the pilots, flight attendants, and other employees did. Why? Most people believed it was because of the IAM’s fear of being replaced by AMFA, which contributed to IAM member’s taking even deeper cuts.

The IAM ws holding the Company and the other employees hostage, which many people believed was unfair.

How come you failed to report that? Never mind...I know...

Again, nobody wants to see anybody take a concession and to suggest otherwise is stupid. However, I believe it’s better to have a job while looking for a job instead of potentially forcing a company into liquidation and then having “no jobâ€. If it takes a concession than each employee needs to evaluate their own position, which is something some union leader’s tried to prevent.

My position was simple: Listen to the Pilot National Union Leadership, the Financial and Legal Advisors, every MEC Officer, and 2/3 of the MEC and then react per their advice.

Obviously two concessions has not hurt your desire to work at US Airways because you're still here. Why is that if things are so bad?

What I do not understand is that if you hate US Airways so bad, which from your posts appears to be the case, why do you stay at the company? Life is to short to be miserable and hateful all the time.

Regards,

USA320Pilot
 
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  • #14
Dog Wonder:

Dog Wonder said: "So people who disagree with you are terrorists?"

USA320Pilot comments: Absolutely not. In fact, disagreement and respectful debate is positive. Why? Because two minds create three minds and a better result.

I take exception to disrespect and misrepresentation. I'm sitting here watching Fox News and Hezbollah's misrepresentation on TV, which is something certain posters on this website do too...misrepresent. That's the correlation...not disagreement.

I believe terrorist's misrepresent and people of character do not. What's your opinion of purposeful misrepresentation?

Regards,

USA320Pilot
 

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