Let’s look at some facts:
-- US Airways and Republic have a signed contract for the Arlington-based airline to sell MDA, which has received bankruptcy court approval.
-- ALPA has filed a grievance against US Airways because the company is not honoring the union’s view of LOA 91 and fragmentation/change of control provisions for MDA.
-- The US Airways & America West ALPA MEC TCC is continues to meet this week. Last Friday America West ALPA MEC chairman J.R. Baker said on the code-a-phone, "This week both MEC’s have been meeting with the company at our ALPA offices to continue working on securing a Transition Agreement. Items we are discussing include many of the areas that the company and ALPA need to understand as we work to merge the contracts and seniority lists. Of particular concern is protection of flying for both sides and securing and bringing in-house the E-190 flying. There also may be an opportunity to capture the E-170 flying."
-- US Airways has not placed an order for EMB-190s, therefore, from this observer’s perch, the LOA 93 language would not permit the EMB-190 to be flown at Republic. LOA 93 states, “In the event the Company orders EMB-190 aircraft and can not fulfill the order, up to twenty-five (25) of the EMB-190 orders or aircraft delivered may be sold or otherwise transferred to a Participating Affiliate Carrier to be flown as US Airways Express), and CRJ-900 aircraft under the same provisions as, and in lieu of, CRJ-700/701 aircraft."
-- The America West ALPA contract does not permit the EMB-190 to be flown by a code share partner.
Conclusions:
-- Without ALPA approval, which I doubt would occur without meaningful returns, Republic or any other Participating Affiliate Carrier, will not fly the EMB-190.
-- Republic is trying to close the MDA deal, but the LOA 91 grievance hearing that begins next week and the Transition Agreement discussions could prevent the sale.
Here’s the pilot rub. The Chautauqua pilots and their union, represented by the Teamsters (IBT), have said from day one they do not care about LOA 91, the MDA pilots, and they will only agree to staple the MDA pilots to the bottom of their seniority list. In my opinion, that is pure B.S.!
Unfortunately labor loses most grievance arbitration hearings, but the IAM-M won a victory during the A320 overhaul proceeding. ALPA has a strong argument and a very good chance of winning the LOA 91 grievance, which would kill the MDA sale to Republic and the Chautauqua pilots from flying the aircraft.
Thus, if the Chautauqua pilots want this deal to proceed, they need to agree to the provisions of LOA 91 and agree to a meaningful seniority integration or ALPA will fight to kill the deal.
Finally, it is my desire to have the MDA deal die, the EMB-190 flying kept in-house, or if the MDA deal does close, a reasonable agreement is reached between the new US Airways, the joint ALPA MEC, Republic, and the IBT that all of the parties can live with.
Regards,
USA320Pilot
-- US Airways and Republic have a signed contract for the Arlington-based airline to sell MDA, which has received bankruptcy court approval.
-- ALPA has filed a grievance against US Airways because the company is not honoring the union’s view of LOA 91 and fragmentation/change of control provisions for MDA.
-- The US Airways & America West ALPA MEC TCC is continues to meet this week. Last Friday America West ALPA MEC chairman J.R. Baker said on the code-a-phone, "This week both MEC’s have been meeting with the company at our ALPA offices to continue working on securing a Transition Agreement. Items we are discussing include many of the areas that the company and ALPA need to understand as we work to merge the contracts and seniority lists. Of particular concern is protection of flying for both sides and securing and bringing in-house the E-190 flying. There also may be an opportunity to capture the E-170 flying."
-- US Airways has not placed an order for EMB-190s, therefore, from this observer’s perch, the LOA 93 language would not permit the EMB-190 to be flown at Republic. LOA 93 states, “In the event the Company orders EMB-190 aircraft and can not fulfill the order, up to twenty-five (25) of the EMB-190 orders or aircraft delivered may be sold or otherwise transferred to a Participating Affiliate Carrier to be flown as US Airways Express), and CRJ-900 aircraft under the same provisions as, and in lieu of, CRJ-700/701 aircraft."
-- The America West ALPA contract does not permit the EMB-190 to be flown by a code share partner.
Conclusions:
-- Without ALPA approval, which I doubt would occur without meaningful returns, Republic or any other Participating Affiliate Carrier, will not fly the EMB-190.
-- Republic is trying to close the MDA deal, but the LOA 91 grievance hearing that begins next week and the Transition Agreement discussions could prevent the sale.
Here’s the pilot rub. The Chautauqua pilots and their union, represented by the Teamsters (IBT), have said from day one they do not care about LOA 91, the MDA pilots, and they will only agree to staple the MDA pilots to the bottom of their seniority list. In my opinion, that is pure B.S.!
Unfortunately labor loses most grievance arbitration hearings, but the IAM-M won a victory during the A320 overhaul proceeding. ALPA has a strong argument and a very good chance of winning the LOA 91 grievance, which would kill the MDA sale to Republic and the Chautauqua pilots from flying the aircraft.
Thus, if the Chautauqua pilots want this deal to proceed, they need to agree to the provisions of LOA 91 and agree to a meaningful seniority integration or ALPA will fight to kill the deal.
Finally, it is my desire to have the MDA deal die, the EMB-190 flying kept in-house, or if the MDA deal does close, a reasonable agreement is reached between the new US Airways, the joint ALPA MEC, Republic, and the IBT that all of the parties can live with.
Regards,
USA320Pilot