Here are some comments on another forum from pilots and mechanics that don't work for US Airways.....
"The sad thing is that on this issue the west pilots should be backing the east pilots 100 percent."
"I don't think your company has any evidence at all. I think they are hoping to convince a court that skewed statistics are evidence. Conversely, there's plenty of actual evidence of your company pressuring pilots to fly aircraft that the PIC believes to be unsafe. The real hurt to this industry will come from folks like you who aren't BACKING your fellow airman. The fact that you westies can't put aside your disdain for the easties in order to stand tall against managerial abuse is truly sad. "
"People have a short memory. The east pilots have gotten the crap beat out of them ever since 9/11. If I'm not mistaken most will retire soon, so why not burn the place down. If I had five years or less left and had my pension stollen, pay slashed, and so on all in the name of free market capitalism I'd do my part. Labor is getting its arse kicked, and many are asking for the kicking. I believe the east pilots have had enough."
And last but most importantly.........
"The judiciary can "pressure", just as the Chief Pilot's office can. That's reality. Just ask the APA, or United ALPA what judiciary decisions can do.
When did we get to the point that if an employee group follows their contract and refuses to violate the law (ie, violates no company rule nor any law), they are brought to court and accused of doing wrong, a 'work to rule' campaign?
If you refuse to fly open time - that's a personal choice.
If you call in sick when you're sick - that's the law.
If you write up MX items when you discover them - that's the law.
If you call in fatigued when you feel too tired to continue - that's the law.
The only reason management can go to the courts and say 'look at the data, there's a job action going on" is because some pilots routinely break the law and their contract with the company. Yep, I said it.
- Pilots fly sick - they need the $, they determine they're 'not that sick', they're not contagious, etc.
- Pilots discover MX items, but make a decision that 'this item isn't going to compromise the safety of flight', so I'll wait to write it up till I get to a MX base, or till I'm turning over the aircraft to another crew.
- Pilots fly fatigued regularly - sleeping on the flight deck is currently illegal, remember?
And since when did refusing to volunteer to work overtime become something that is actionable in the courts?
If there are USAPA pilots who are calling in sick when they are not, US Airways has the ability to send them to a doctor of US Airway's choosing if they question the authenticity of the assessment.
If there are USAPA pilots writing up items that aren't broken, then simply looking over the MX logs will show this. Are USPA East pilots accused of flying MX items to outstations before writing them up, or breaking items on purpose?
If a pilot does not properly prepare themselves for duty, resulting in a fatigue call, then US Airways has a policy to deal with this. Is USAPA as a union responsible for fatiguing pilots?
To those who are championing the cause of US Airways management - do you have evidence that USPA, as a union, is coercing pilots to use the law to purposefully impede the ability of US Airways to operate as a business? If not, why not at least be neutral, or, heaven forbid, support your fellow pilots?
The precedence here to our profession is more important than the division over a seniority list at US Airways. "
