USA320Pilot
Veteran
- Joined
- May 18, 2003
- Messages
- 8,175
- Reaction score
- 1,539
Is the USAPA-US Airways MOU perfect? No, of course not. But, the current options are to accept the MOU as a bridge Transition Agreement to a JCBA or remain on LOA 93/C2004 with serious career changing implications, especially in a negative US Airways pilot Seniority List Integration (SLI) according to USAPA's advisers.
MOU Benefits:
2. LPPs - According to USAPA, "LPP Section 3 and 13 provide for the fair and equitable seniority integration and a specific time table for final and binding arbitration. However, unlike previous mergers, a merger with American would be governed by the McCaskill-Bond Amendment. In 2007, U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill and Kit Bond secured a provision to the Senate’s omnibus spending bill that guarantees airline employees not already covered by some other arrangement (such as the Air Line Pilots Association Merger Policy) a process for integrating seniority. McCaskill-Bond incorporates sections 3 and 13 of the Allegheny-Mohawk Labor Protective Provisions which require 'integration of seniority lists in a fair and equitable manner' either through the agreement of the parties or, absent agreement, through binding impartial arbitration."
Therefore, LPPs are no longer an issue because they have been incorporated into McCaskill-Bond; therefore, we now have to comply with federal law and LPPs should be taken off of the table. They exist in McCaskill-Bond.
3. Transition Agreement language on minimum fleet count and daily utilization - This section is being adjusted with other scope protections including pay protection, a no furlough clause, minimum block hours and other fleet protections that improve the most important factors in Scope, as described above.
4. McCaskill-Bond SLI - If the MOU is not passed by the membership we could get crushed in the APA-USAPA McCaskill-Bond SLI.
As one bright and informed pilot said, "Roland (Wilder) made it very clear at the (BPR) meetings that the MOU will help immensely in seniority negotiations and arbitration! Why? Because it puts in writing the growth and value that we bring to this merger which according to the MOU is significant. Without the MOU our argument is only our opinion. Remember APA will be the majority and USAPA will be the minority. Majority rules right? USAPA prevented the West from obtaining a seniority list that was favorable to them. You think APA will not attempt to do the same? The MOU helps prevent this!"
Now, some of us think the Nicolau Award is bad, which it is, but that might be nothing compared to the McCaskill-Bond SLI with the risk USAPA has now created if the membership does not "Vote Yes" on the MOU TA.
In conclusion, the bottom line is this. All four NAC members, every USAPA legal adviser, and every USAPA financial adviser recommend we vote for this deal and now it appears there will be no MOU changes. Therefore, my decision is simple. Do we want the benefits of the MOU/merger, a front row seat at the JCBA table, and the best platform for the upcoming McCaskill-Bond SLI or do we want to remain with LOA 93/C2004 as our contract for an indefinite period, which could be a long period of time?
Thus, I will vote for the MOU TA and take the advice of the NAC and every USAPA financial and legal adviser.
MOU Benefits:
- US Airways will bargain with USAPA and APA versus just APA to convert MOU/Term Sheet our new contract.
- US Airways will recognize USAPA as a CBA agent, exchange confidential/new contract information, reimburse USAPA for its expenses versus the union having to pay for its own expenses, and will provide our union information related to the merger as requested by USAPA.
- Dramatic pay increases and equal pay from Day 1, which will also increase retirement benefits.
- Improved aspects of Scope with Furlough and pay protection.
- Protect Hawaii and Shuttle flying.
- Proportional reductions.
- Reduce the time from DAL/UAL pay parity by 50% from 6 to 3 years for total cockpit costs for Compensation (pay rates, premiums, profit sharing, and per diem), Vacation, Retirement, and Health & Welfare.
- For West pilots 3-year bridge for STD coverage.
- Sick balance 1,000 hours. Pilots with over 1,000 hours retain the balance. Pilots will not accrue additional sick leave over 1,000 hours but can use the annual accrual or sick occurrences and sell sick leave back to the company.
- Improved E-190 Pay.
- Negotiations for a new contract begin on JCBA 4 year anniversary.
- Fleet protections: Establish two baselines with one for US and one for AA, total scheduled flying in a 12-month period proceeding the effective date with a widebody and narrowbody baseline. US ratio window for US mainline fleet is 5% or about 18 total East & West aircraft and 10% for widebody aircraft or about 3 or 4 aircraft. (I believe the downside risk of 18 total airplanes with pilots retirements would have minimal staffing problems).
- Minimum block hour protection.
- US & AA E-190 ratio split after 30th aircraft (20 already in US Airways' inventory).
- Eliminate Star Alliance, UAL and CAL code sharing and replace it with JetBlue, Hawaiian, Alasks, and Oneworld code sharing - The NAC said, "this is the holy grail of the merger."
- $40 million lump sum payment.
- West : STD, Duty Rigs, & Increased Medical Insurance Premiums.
- East: COC.& LPPs
- LOA 96 Transition Agreement language on minimum fleet count and daily utilization.
2. LPPs - According to USAPA, "LPP Section 3 and 13 provide for the fair and equitable seniority integration and a specific time table for final and binding arbitration. However, unlike previous mergers, a merger with American would be governed by the McCaskill-Bond Amendment. In 2007, U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill and Kit Bond secured a provision to the Senate’s omnibus spending bill that guarantees airline employees not already covered by some other arrangement (such as the Air Line Pilots Association Merger Policy) a process for integrating seniority. McCaskill-Bond incorporates sections 3 and 13 of the Allegheny-Mohawk Labor Protective Provisions which require 'integration of seniority lists in a fair and equitable manner' either through the agreement of the parties or, absent agreement, through binding impartial arbitration."
Therefore, LPPs are no longer an issue because they have been incorporated into McCaskill-Bond; therefore, we now have to comply with federal law and LPPs should be taken off of the table. They exist in McCaskill-Bond.
3. Transition Agreement language on minimum fleet count and daily utilization - This section is being adjusted with other scope protections including pay protection, a no furlough clause, minimum block hours and other fleet protections that improve the most important factors in Scope, as described above.
4. McCaskill-Bond SLI - If the MOU is not passed by the membership we could get crushed in the APA-USAPA McCaskill-Bond SLI.
As one bright and informed pilot said, "Roland (Wilder) made it very clear at the (BPR) meetings that the MOU will help immensely in seniority negotiations and arbitration! Why? Because it puts in writing the growth and value that we bring to this merger which according to the MOU is significant. Without the MOU our argument is only our opinion. Remember APA will be the majority and USAPA will be the minority. Majority rules right? USAPA prevented the West from obtaining a seniority list that was favorable to them. You think APA will not attempt to do the same? The MOU helps prevent this!"
Now, some of us think the Nicolau Award is bad, which it is, but that might be nothing compared to the McCaskill-Bond SLI with the risk USAPA has now created if the membership does not "Vote Yes" on the MOU TA.
In conclusion, the bottom line is this. All four NAC members, every USAPA legal adviser, and every USAPA financial adviser recommend we vote for this deal and now it appears there will be no MOU changes. Therefore, my decision is simple. Do we want the benefits of the MOU/merger, a front row seat at the JCBA table, and the best platform for the upcoming McCaskill-Bond SLI or do we want to remain with LOA 93/C2004 as our contract for an indefinite period, which could be a long period of time?
Thus, I will vote for the MOU TA and take the advice of the NAC and every USAPA financial and legal adviser.
