RJ Defense Coalition
Ensuring One Level of Representation
www.rjdefense.com
Update
June 26, 2004
Delta Negotiations to Resume, but will ALPA Repeat Past Injustices?
On June 16th, the Delta pilot leadership voted to resume concessionary negotiations with Delta management. In response, ALPA’s President has been sent a letter from ASA and Comair pilots requesting that the union act quickly to prevent further injustices caused by ALPA’s past predatory bargaining practices. In their letter, ASA Captain Ken Cooksey and Comair Captain Dan Ford request that ALPA’s President invoke his authority to ensure that ALPA’s negotiators adhere to the following conditions:
- That ALPA’s negotiators be prohibited from unilaterally imposing any restrictions upon the ASA and Comair pilots.
- That ALPA’s negotiators be prohibited from using scope restrictions imposed upon ASA and Comair as bargaining capital.
- That ALPA’s negotiators and representatives be prohibited from withholding pertinent information from the ASA and Comair MEC’s.
- That ALPA’s negotiators be prohibited from unilaterally negotiating or imposing any terms affecting the seniority rights or career opportunities of the ASA and Comair pilots.
- That ALPA’s negotiators be directed to remove all restrictions which limit the number of aircraft ASA and Comair may operate and the markets they may serve.
The letter reflects the all-important principle that ALPA’s leadership has a irrevocable duty to protect the ASA and Comair pilots and to ensure that the Delta pilot leadership doesn’t act contrary to the best interests of the Association or its other members. More so, the letter reflects the fact that the burden to safeguard the rights of ASA and Comair pilots rests with ALPA’s leadership and cannot be made contingent upon “proposals†acceptable to the Delta MEC. In simple terms, the rights of the ASA and Comair pilots as ALPA members must be protected—not purchased.
Related Link: http://www.rjdefense.com/2004/woerthletter_062104.pdf
News Reports Echo Scope Warnings
Recently, several news publications reported that Delta may be reviewing its 50-seat RJ plans. The reports suggested that Delta would prefer to increase its use of 70-passenger jets which have lower seat-mile costs than the 50-passenger variant. But they also noted that Delta was currently restricted to a maximum of 57 of the 70-passenger jets by ALPA’s mainline scope clause.
The potential impact on management’s planning of ALPA’s flawed scope doesn’t come as “news†to the RJDC leadership. In fact, on February 26th, we wrote ALPA’s President stating: “…the restrictions may prevent ASA and Comair from adapting to changes or exploiting emerging markets. Even more alarming, such restrictions may force management to exclude ASA and Comair from their long-term plans.â€
As the RJDC has long-maintained, all scope, both good and bad, will affect management’s planning. The ASA and Comair pilots stand to be significantly and irreparably harmed as long as ALPA maintains its unwarranted restrictions or continues to demand quid pro quo exchanges before considering any redress.
Related Link: http://www.rjdefense.com/2004/bloomberg_report.pdf
American Eagle Pilots Again Victimized by Mainline Scope Bargaining
On May 21st the Dallas Morning News reported that American Airlines and the Allied Pilots Association (APA) had reached a new agreement imposing new restrictions upon the airline’s American Eagle subsidiary, represented by ALPA. As reported, the new restrictions redefine “hub†cities where Eagle is required to operate 85% of their flights and would force a reduction in Eagle’s flying between those cities should American reduce its use of larger jets.
Notwithstanding the obvious harm posed by the new restrictions, the Eagle pilots shouldn’t expect ALPA to mount a vigorous defense. The unilateral imposition of small jet restrictions, including terms that would force unwarranted reductions in “regional†flying, is a prominent element in all ALPA mainline negotiations.
The new agreement is bad news for both “mainline†and “regional†pilots alike. First of all, the APA has overlooked the fact that small jet restrictions don’t protect “large jet†flying—as underscored by the United and US Airways bankruptcies. Likewise, for all “regional†pilots, the new scope agreement illustrates that the post-9/11 downturn has not deterred the mainline interests from “purchasing†additional small jet restrictions.
Related Link: http://www.rjdefense.com/2004/APA_2004_scope_agreement.pdf
Will Work-Rule Changes Trigger New Staffing Crisis for ALPA?
In the RJDC’s May 16th editorial entitled Paying the Price for Flawed Scope Clauses, we pointed to potential staffing problems caused by ALPA’s scope clause at Delta Air Lines. Since then, additional indications of the looming crisis have surfaced at Northwest and US Airways as management seeks not only pay reductions, but also significant enhancements in pilot productivity. At carriers with large pilot groups already struggling with massive furloughs, even a modest productivity improvement could result in hundreds of additional reductions.
The specter of further staffing reductions carries an important message for ALPA. Namely, that small jet restrictions cannot protect “mainline†(or any other) pay and benefit structures. The driving force behind the work-rule changes is the rapidly emerging low-cost carriers, which principally operate “large†jets made by Airbus and Boeing. In contrast, small jets remain one of the few market segments where network carriers face fewer pressures from the LCCs.
ALPA faces many challenges as bargaining resumes at its mainline carriers. Unfortunately, ALPA’s current crop of employment schemes, such as “Jets for Jobs,†“flow-throughs,†and “Brand Scope,†won’t protect or produce jobs. Instead, they’ll merely serve to justify the continued use of small jet restrictions as a mainline bargaining device. For the airline piloting profession, true job security and job growth will remain elusive until ALPA changes the way scope is designed, negotiated, and implemented.
Related Links: http://www.rjdefense.com/2004/usair_transformation_plan.pdf
http://www.rjdefense.com/2004/nwa_across_the_table.pdf
Ensuring One Level of Representation
www.rjdefense.com
Update
June 26, 2004
Delta Negotiations to Resume, but will ALPA Repeat Past Injustices?
On June 16th, the Delta pilot leadership voted to resume concessionary negotiations with Delta management. In response, ALPA’s President has been sent a letter from ASA and Comair pilots requesting that the union act quickly to prevent further injustices caused by ALPA’s past predatory bargaining practices. In their letter, ASA Captain Ken Cooksey and Comair Captain Dan Ford request that ALPA’s President invoke his authority to ensure that ALPA’s negotiators adhere to the following conditions:
- That ALPA’s negotiators be prohibited from unilaterally imposing any restrictions upon the ASA and Comair pilots.
- That ALPA’s negotiators be prohibited from using scope restrictions imposed upon ASA and Comair as bargaining capital.
- That ALPA’s negotiators and representatives be prohibited from withholding pertinent information from the ASA and Comair MEC’s.
- That ALPA’s negotiators be prohibited from unilaterally negotiating or imposing any terms affecting the seniority rights or career opportunities of the ASA and Comair pilots.
- That ALPA’s negotiators be directed to remove all restrictions which limit the number of aircraft ASA and Comair may operate and the markets they may serve.
The letter reflects the all-important principle that ALPA’s leadership has a irrevocable duty to protect the ASA and Comair pilots and to ensure that the Delta pilot leadership doesn’t act contrary to the best interests of the Association or its other members. More so, the letter reflects the fact that the burden to safeguard the rights of ASA and Comair pilots rests with ALPA’s leadership and cannot be made contingent upon “proposals†acceptable to the Delta MEC. In simple terms, the rights of the ASA and Comair pilots as ALPA members must be protected—not purchased.
Related Link: http://www.rjdefense.com/2004/woerthletter_062104.pdf
News Reports Echo Scope Warnings
Recently, several news publications reported that Delta may be reviewing its 50-seat RJ plans. The reports suggested that Delta would prefer to increase its use of 70-passenger jets which have lower seat-mile costs than the 50-passenger variant. But they also noted that Delta was currently restricted to a maximum of 57 of the 70-passenger jets by ALPA’s mainline scope clause.
The potential impact on management’s planning of ALPA’s flawed scope doesn’t come as “news†to the RJDC leadership. In fact, on February 26th, we wrote ALPA’s President stating: “…the restrictions may prevent ASA and Comair from adapting to changes or exploiting emerging markets. Even more alarming, such restrictions may force management to exclude ASA and Comair from their long-term plans.â€
As the RJDC has long-maintained, all scope, both good and bad, will affect management’s planning. The ASA and Comair pilots stand to be significantly and irreparably harmed as long as ALPA maintains its unwarranted restrictions or continues to demand quid pro quo exchanges before considering any redress.
Related Link: http://www.rjdefense.com/2004/bloomberg_report.pdf
American Eagle Pilots Again Victimized by Mainline Scope Bargaining
On May 21st the Dallas Morning News reported that American Airlines and the Allied Pilots Association (APA) had reached a new agreement imposing new restrictions upon the airline’s American Eagle subsidiary, represented by ALPA. As reported, the new restrictions redefine “hub†cities where Eagle is required to operate 85% of their flights and would force a reduction in Eagle’s flying between those cities should American reduce its use of larger jets.
Notwithstanding the obvious harm posed by the new restrictions, the Eagle pilots shouldn’t expect ALPA to mount a vigorous defense. The unilateral imposition of small jet restrictions, including terms that would force unwarranted reductions in “regional†flying, is a prominent element in all ALPA mainline negotiations.
The new agreement is bad news for both “mainline†and “regional†pilots alike. First of all, the APA has overlooked the fact that small jet restrictions don’t protect “large jet†flying—as underscored by the United and US Airways bankruptcies. Likewise, for all “regional†pilots, the new scope agreement illustrates that the post-9/11 downturn has not deterred the mainline interests from “purchasing†additional small jet restrictions.
Related Link: http://www.rjdefense.com/2004/APA_2004_scope_agreement.pdf
Will Work-Rule Changes Trigger New Staffing Crisis for ALPA?
In the RJDC’s May 16th editorial entitled Paying the Price for Flawed Scope Clauses, we pointed to potential staffing problems caused by ALPA’s scope clause at Delta Air Lines. Since then, additional indications of the looming crisis have surfaced at Northwest and US Airways as management seeks not only pay reductions, but also significant enhancements in pilot productivity. At carriers with large pilot groups already struggling with massive furloughs, even a modest productivity improvement could result in hundreds of additional reductions.
The specter of further staffing reductions carries an important message for ALPA. Namely, that small jet restrictions cannot protect “mainline†(or any other) pay and benefit structures. The driving force behind the work-rule changes is the rapidly emerging low-cost carriers, which principally operate “large†jets made by Airbus and Boeing. In contrast, small jets remain one of the few market segments where network carriers face fewer pressures from the LCCs.
ALPA faces many challenges as bargaining resumes at its mainline carriers. Unfortunately, ALPA’s current crop of employment schemes, such as “Jets for Jobs,†“flow-throughs,†and “Brand Scope,†won’t protect or produce jobs. Instead, they’ll merely serve to justify the continued use of small jet restrictions as a mainline bargaining device. For the airline piloting profession, true job security and job growth will remain elusive until ALPA changes the way scope is designed, negotiated, and implemented.
Related Links: http://www.rjdefense.com/2004/usair_transformation_plan.pdf
http://www.rjdefense.com/2004/nwa_across_the_table.pdf
