Release #11.UALCAL
May 24, 2011
United, Continental Pilots Meet to Discuss Contract Negotiations, Merger
The leaders of the United and Continental pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) held a joint meeting in Herndon, Va., today to discuss ways to advance progress on negotiations for a joint collective bargaining agreement (JCBA) and coordinate on issues that are impacting their pilots as a result of the UAL/CAL merger.
“As pilots, we share common interests and common goals,” said Capt. Jay Pierce, chairman of the Continental Master Executive Council. “Our meeting this week reinforced our commitment to working together to build a world class airline and achieve a JCBA that meets the needs of all 12,000 of our pilots.”
“Our two pilot groups have demonstrated their leadership through times of economic challenge,” said Capt. Wendy Morse, chairman of the United Master Executive Council. “The pilots’ professionalism, dedication and safety record paved the way for the merger between United and Continental. The time has come for our contributions to be recognized by management. The time has come for the right contract, right now.”
The pilots also discussed the need to develop common strategies to ensure that pilot interests in safety, security, training and many other areas receive sufficient attention as management integrates the two operations of Continental and United and moves toward a single operating certificate.
“We are not just passengers,” said Capt. Morse. “We need to help drive this ship.”
Capt. Pierce elaborated, “As we build our new airline, we encourage management to carefully and deliberately draw upon the best b]practices of both our legacy airlines and not implement what is purely economically attractive or simply feasible. That is true for the operation of the new United as well as for our new contract.”
ALPA represents nearly 53,000 pilots at 39 airlines in the United States and Canada including approximately 5000 pilots at Continental and 7000 at United.
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May 24, 2011
United, Continental Pilots Meet to Discuss Contract Negotiations, Merger
The leaders of the United and Continental pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) held a joint meeting in Herndon, Va., today to discuss ways to advance progress on negotiations for a joint collective bargaining agreement (JCBA) and coordinate on issues that are impacting their pilots as a result of the UAL/CAL merger.
“As pilots, we share common interests and common goals,” said Capt. Jay Pierce, chairman of the Continental Master Executive Council. “Our meeting this week reinforced our commitment to working together to build a world class airline and achieve a JCBA that meets the needs of all 12,000 of our pilots.”
“Our two pilot groups have demonstrated their leadership through times of economic challenge,” said Capt. Wendy Morse, chairman of the United Master Executive Council. “The pilots’ professionalism, dedication and safety record paved the way for the merger between United and Continental. The time has come for our contributions to be recognized by management. The time has come for the right contract, right now.”
The pilots also discussed the need to develop common strategies to ensure that pilot interests in safety, security, training and many other areas receive sufficient attention as management integrates the two operations of Continental and United and moves toward a single operating certificate.
“We are not just passengers,” said Capt. Morse. “We need to help drive this ship.”
Capt. Pierce elaborated, “As we build our new airline, we encourage management to carefully and deliberately draw upon the best b]practices of both our legacy airlines and not implement what is purely economically attractive or simply feasible. That is true for the operation of the new United as well as for our new contract.”
ALPA represents nearly 53,000 pilots at 39 airlines in the United States and Canada including approximately 5000 pilots at Continental and 7000 at United.
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