United/Cal Pilots Expect To Use Mediators To Resolve RJ Dispute

[PA16]

Pilot leaders at United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL) said Wednesday that they would likely call in federal mediators to resolve a dispute with management over outsourced flying.

Flight crew at United Airlines and Continental Airlines had set a Dec. 15 deadline to reach a tentative joint collective bargaining agreement with management following the carriers' merger in October.

The parties also agreed to apply to the National Mediation Board for assistance by Dec. 17 if no tentative deal is reached.

 

[767jetz]

Just to be clear, the mediator to resolve the flying of 70 seat RJ's on CO routes relates to the Transition Agreement, and is separate from the mediation both sides agreed to call on in December to complete the JCBA if necessary.

 

[Falcon84]

Despite no real chatter on this one here, it's probably going to be the main bone of contention of a new contract between UA and it's pilots. The UA/CO pilots want those flights, and Smisek has it's not cost-effective to give those routes to them.

But I do have a question. If those planes are owned by Skywest, for example, and their employees fly them, what gives the CO/UA pilots the right to demand that THEY get to fly them? Something doesn't seem right here.

 

[BoeingBoy]

I don't think that the UA/CO pilots are saying that any specific airplanes (by tail number) must be flown by them, but rather flying currently cone by contract carriers would be phased out as the contracts expire and replaced by the pilots flying equivalent UA planes.

Jim

 

[gatemech]

It's really sorry that there is a dispute. All work groups gave up many things during BK or poor
economy. Why 70 seat RJ's. UA/CO shouldn't even have express carriers flying 50 seat RJ's.
I have seen mainline terminal space given away to express. It almost seems like they were
giving away the airline. I for one hate being on an RJ for 3+ hours. Anything over an hour
should be mainline. I would like to see the pilots take back the flying that should be theirs.

Good luck pilots. You have a strong union (unlike the IBT). Use the power you have.

 

[famousfreddie]

It's really sorry that there is a dispute. All work groups gave up many things during BK or poor
economy. Why 70 seat RJ's. UA/CO shouldn't even have express carriers flying 50 seat RJ's.
I have seen mainline terminal space given away to express. It almost seems like they were
giving away the airline. I for one hate being on an RJ for 3+ hours. Anything over an hour
should be mainline. I would like to see the pilots take back the flying that should be theirs.

Good luck pilots. You have a strong union (unlike the IBT). Use the power you have.

Look at who is a major shareholder of UA/CO holdings. Then look at who owns a multitude of RJ's. Are they using their shares to bleed mainline for a more lucrative return on RJ rentals?

 

[Hope777]

Well from what I understand, the Shuttle America IAD operation was to relocate to EWR replacing some Express Jet flying. In turn, Express Jet would relocate some of their Assests to IAD. Guess there is some Scope Language in the CO contract that prohibits Express Carriers from flying any aircraft over 50 seats. As it looks, the Pilots may have won this dispute.

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