Furlough Administrator Update - June 5

[careerfurloughee]

You think they want to accept these wages?

Most of them are "forced" to accept these wages. They have families to provide for. They could either go:

-to a different industry and get less than they are now.

Fly with us,

Come on now. Unemployment is running very low these days. There are other good paying jobs available to anyone that has the ability to reason that a pilot has simply by virtue of the fact that they were able to become a pilot.

 

[fly with US]

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A PILOT TO MAKE A LIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No you don't, but there are a lot of furloughed pilots out there who love flying. That is all they have dreamed about doing in their lives, and to give it up just like that...well, it takes more than scumbags to force them to do that.

And US is going to have a lot more than 85 of those "bad boys".

Those "bad boys" I was talking about were the 170's, which we all know, were sold to Republic. All 25 of them. Not a whole lot of upgrading there.

The rest have either found employment with other airlines (Southwest, Jetblue, FedEx, AirTran...), have found corporate jobs with superior pay and/or schedule to what they had at USAir

And trust me, nobody wants to stay at US. They would much rather go to WN, CO, ect.

There are other good paying jobs available to anyone that has the ability to reason that a pilot has simply by virtue of the fact that they were able to become a pilot.

Huh?

 

[careerfurloughee]

Huh?

If your smart enough to be a pilot you are smart enough to do something else that pays better than emb 190 fo pay will be. Got it? Now if you "just love to fly" so much that you will sell yourself and your family short you deserve the pay you will earn with no sympathy from me.

 

[PITbull]

You think they want to accept these wages?

Most of them are "forced" to accept these wages. They have families to provide for. They could either go:

-to a different industry and get less than they are now.

-go to a different flying job and get the same now.

-or go to MidAtlantic with the understanging that while they will go to a right seat for the time being, the time it would take for an upgrade would be minimal. (After all, US is getting 85 of these bad boys :down: )

Hey, how about going into a different industry and MAKING MORE???? Do you think that maybe possible in your schema?

Do you really want to stay at a job for probably two contracts in your career, and basically consessionary??? These contracts become amendable every 7-10 years...

Staying in an industry that doesn't pay bills unless you live in a commune isn't worth it, IMO.

 

[Elevation]

But don't you think those(some) vacancies in the 73/AB will be available to recalls? I mean, the 190 Capt slots are most likely going to be filled by junior F/O's who want to get the left seat/pay raise/quality of life, thus leaving the spots they vacated open. Add the retirements, and you may not have to take a 190 slot, and be frozen there, to get a 73/AB seat. In the first 55 recalls, I think something like 19 or 20 got the 757. Just curious if this is how you think it could/may work.

Oh no someone didn't fall for the scare tactics! The union will hunt you down for being a free thinker.

 

[Dorf]

quote name='Elevation' date='Jun 6 2006, 06:58 PM' post='386606']
Oh no someone didn't fall for the scare tactics! The union will hunt you down for being a free thinker.
[/quote]


SHH....Don't tell anyone!

LOL...thanks...I needed a laugh.

 

[javaboy]

Posted for those castaways with other ALPA carriers who do not receive this info.

Furlough Administrator Update – June 5, 2006

Recall results – The recent recall of 55 pilots has been completed with the last of the group in training now. The final pilot recalled has a system seniority number of 3,311 with a January 30, 1989 hire date – position 175 on the APL. With 40 pilots of those 175 having retired, the Company contacted 135 pilots for 55 to return. Remember that you can bypass recall as long as there is someone junior to you on the list. Is this an indicator of the acceptance rate for future recalls? It’s hard to say – there are too many variables in this decision to make any reasonable predictions. If you look at the MDA pilots, a very high percentage of them accepted recall – most likely influenced by the fact that MDA ceased to exist at the end of May; while the majority of those who had jobs at other carriers passed on the recall. So your recall prospects depend on what positions are offered and the individual decisions of the other s on the list – not a very exact science, I know.

Future recalls? – There was a system bid for August that did not include any recalls. It is expected that any subsequent bids for 2006 would have some recalls. I have not heard any numbers, but with the EMB-190 coming, I anticipate recalls to staff it. To have pilots qualified to begin flying in December, they would probably begin training sometime in October.


EMB-190 – The Company has announced plans to acquire 57 EMB-190 aircraft. US Airways had originally ordered 85 EMB-170 aircraft for MidAtlantic Airways, the EMB division of Mainline. Twenty-eight of those were delivered and then subsequently sold to Republic Airlines. The remaining aircraft on order were converted to 190s and will begin to be delivered in November 2006. The plan now calls for two aircraft to arrive in November and one in December with revenue flights to begin sometime in December. After that, the deliveries will be approximately one a month for 2007. At this time these are planned to be growth aircraft, but the Company still has the ability to park older aircraft as the leases come up for renewal. No word yet on where the airplane will be based.


EMB-190 F/O Bypass – The merger Transition Agreement allows a furloughed pilot to bypass recall to a EMB-190 F/O position without jeopardy. A pilot on furlough can normally bypass recall as long as there is someone junior on the list. Once you are the most junior person, you must decide to come back or forfeit your position. If the only position available is a 190 F/O, then even if you are the last on the list, you can pass on the recall and still stay on the list.

There are some things to keep in mind about the 190. To start with, the pay is probably a major determining factor in deciding to accept the position. Depending on your longevity, the F/O pay ranges from $41-52/hr. The rates can be viewed on the pilots only website at EMB-190 Pay Rates and Excerpts from the Transition Agreement.

One thing you should consider when deciding about the bypass is the ability to bid during the permanent bid. The way the available recall positions are determined is that the permanent bid is processed and whatever positions are unfilled are then offered to recalled pilots in seniority order. This process seems to work OK, but there is a "gotcha" if you bypass the 190. Let’s say pilot A is senior to pilot B and both are offered recall to a 190 F/O – pilot A passes and pilot B accepts. Time passes and there are only 190 positions available for recall, so pilot A continues to pass.

Pilot A decides it is time to come back and will take the next recall offered. The fleet is now growing, and he figures he will be able to get an Airbus position and not be bottom reserve. A permanent bid is processed and pilot B has completed his training freeze (18 months) and is awarded an Airbus F/O position. When the bid is complete, the only positions available to reca lled pilots are 190 F/O positions! So pilot A has passed only to end up in the same position that he passed earlier. Since he is not on the property he cannot participate in the bid and must wait until it is complete.

Now this is the worst-case scenario – assuming that those who went to the 190 have completed the training freeze and there are no other Airbus/Boeing positions available. I only mention this so that you are not surprised if you find yourself in this position.

Merger Timeline – Integration of the US Airways and America West operational procedures are moving along. Teams from both sides are looking at procedures and attempting to pick the best from each side to move forward. The anticipated date for full integration is May 1, 2007.

Contract Negotiations – The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) consists of two members from the US Airways Negotiating Committee and two members from the AWA Negotiating Committee. They are attempting to glean the best from both contracts and work with the Company to come to terms on a combined contract. Talks have been ongoing, and they are working towards the best contract possible for the combined pilot group. You can contact the JNC at [email protected] or view updates on the JNC website.

Seniority list merger – The Merger Committee has exchanged lists with the AWA Merger Committee. Talks are scheduled throughout the year with mediation and possible arbitration scheduled for this fall. If arbitration is required, it is not scheduled to be completed until February 2007. It will then take some time for the arbitrator to issue his decision, so don’t expect a merged list until sometime in the spring of 2007 at the earliest. Merger Committee updates can be viewed on their webpage which includes a Q&A section. In addition, you can contact the Merger Committee at the emails listed on the Merger Committee website.

Furlough travel – The new Employee Travel Center (ETC) is now available on the Hub. You can view booking information and list for flights on both US Airways and AWA flights. The boarding codes have changed somewhat for all employees. Furloughed employees travel with a S5/SA5 code. This places you with employees of affiliate express carriers and dependants of retirees. The full form can be viewed at http://thehub.usairways.com/travel/2...orityChart.pdf on the hub. Remember if you are traveling on East flights, you board based on your seniority and West flights are based on check-in time.

If you have a question about travel, you can contact the employee travel office at [email protected]. You can also attempt to call them, but my experience is that you usually end up with a recording.


Survey – By now, you should have received either an email or a letter asking you to participate in a survey concerning your thoughts on a recall. Some pilots are concerned about the true motives of this survey, but I can assure you that the information will only be used to help you and not be used to aid the active pilots at the expense of the furloughed pilots. Having been furloughed myself, I would not be party to anything that would harm the junior pilots. I encourage you to take the couple minutes required to complete this simple survey. If you have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me about it.
Thanks for your time,

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Furlough Administrator
J4J Coordinator

Just some thoughts, are not still many 737s that had leases rejected going to be returned to the tune of some 68 this year? thus could the EMBs merely be hull replacements for the aged 737s hence there would be great need for recalls.

Also what if the intergation goes more infavor for AWA than US thus prolonging the right seat stagnation of 20 years currently

next up if age 60 extends to 62 or 65 the right seat wait gets even longer

however history serves it has historically been better to be on the property than off.

 

[Freighterguynow]

These guys are way too experienced and valuable to be working for these wages.

The F-28 used to pay $30+ an hour for F/O. Why all the angst now?

 

[BoeingBoy]

Just some thoughts, are not still many 737s that had leases rejected going to be returned to the tune of some 68 this year? thus could the EMBs merely be hull replacements for the aged 737s hence there would be great need for recalls.

As far as I know, all the rejected lease planes are gone. There are some lease expirations on both sides, I think - would have to go back over the annual report to get a number (maybe the 1st quarter report has it also), but I don't think many this year. Plus the latest investor guidance calls for the mainline fleet to remain pretty static thru the end of the year.

Next year and 2008 could be a different story, but let's keep our fingers crossed.

As for the rest of your points, valid observations that only the future will determine. Personally, though, I hope the age 60 rule doesn't change, much less before I retire. It's my time to move along and make space for someone else.

Jim

 

[careerfurloughee]

"The F-28 used to pay $30+ an hour for F/O. Why all the angst now?"

Freightguynow,


And gas used to be .89/gal and my house cost 72,000.00 dollars. That same house last I heard sold for 245,000.00 dollars.

 

[USCREW]

Wow, what city? 245k would barely buy you a one bedroom condo one hour outside of the city in the northeast!

 

[aquagreen73s]

I "say something" every time I fly. I am convinced that most pilots at U East would take another cut. They are afraid and feel they are too old to start over at another job. They will throw whomever it takes under the bus to keep a paycheck (whatever it is) until age 60.

About 51% of West pilots fit that description. Sad but true. We're active contributors to our own demise.

 

[aquagreen73s]

And US is going to have a lot more than 85 of those "bad boys". They're going to replace the 737/320 and all will pay less than you can make selling cars. Because we accept it. And the senior guys don't give a crap. Just like the guys who take the jobs hoping they will make big money someday. It's not gonna happen.

pilot

Don't forget DeeWayne...he sure as hell doesn't give a crap even despite the law which says as a union president he's supposed to.

You're right about the future for the profession. Unless we do something quickly, it's toast and every yes voter was an accomplice to the destruction of this career. I hold out hope there will be one last stand, industry wide, even if it turns out merely symbolic. What's going on here, and what's going on in most of corporate America is just plain wrong and we as Americans, not just as pilots, but we as Americans owe a duty to stand up for what is right. It's a war on labor, it's a war on the middle class, and it sure as hell been a war on our American way of life. Too many soldiers and Marines have died to give us this way of life and for us to cower in our foxholes, willing to live for scaps is unconscionable.

 

[USCREW]

NW flight attendants have bigger b**ls.

 

[careerfurloughee]

Wow, what city? 245k would barely buy you a one bedroom condo one hour outside of the city in the northeast!

Florida. I'd rather not give the city.