MEC CODE-A-PHONE UPDATE
February 27, 2003
This is Roy Freundlich with a US Airways MEC update for Thursday, February 27, with five items:
Item 1. The MEC reconvened its special meeting today in Crystal City and received a briefing in closed session on bankruptcy court hearing issues concerning the Company''s motion to terminate the pension plan. The meeting was recessed at 6:45 p.m. to the call of the chair. As previously announced, the MEC will be attending tomorrow''s hearing in uniform, which will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the US Bankruptcy Court at 200 S. Washington Street in Alexandria, Va. A shuttle bus will be available to all pilots hourly from DCA baggage claim area, door 12, to the courthouse beginning at 8:45 a.m.
Item 2. The Company is not expected to file its management compensation plan with the bankruptcy court until late this evening. The filing will be posted on the MEC website at usiarwayspilots.org once it has been received by ALPA.
Item 3. The MEC, MEC officers, and Legislative Affairs Committee are requesting that all US Airways pilots continue to participate in a grassroots effort seeking a legislative solution to the pension plan issue.
US Airways pilots are asked to fax both of their U.S. Senators, their U.S. Representative, President Bush, and Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao and urge them to support S.119, the legislation introduced to address US Airways'' critical pension funding problem.
An updated prepared form letter is available by clicking on the first link under Urgent Information on the pilots'' only home page. The link will bring you to the Legislative Affairs Committee website, which has instructions on how to use ALPA''s Write to Congress program. This program will ask you to enter your zip code to obtain the fax information for your U.S. Senators, your U.S. Representative, President Bush, and Secretary Chao.
Remember to address and to sign the form letter before faxing it. Please help to keep our message consistent by using this form letter.
The MEC thanks you in advance for your participation in this continuing and important effort.
Item 4. The following two MEC grievances were filed on February 25:
MEC 03-02-05, Inadequate Notification of Employment Opportunity For Affected Pilots - Jets For Jobs: It has come to the Association''s attention that the Company has improperly and arbitrarily failed to provide Affected Pilots adequate notice of employment opportunities and/or reporting time for vacancies at participating wholly-owned or affiliate carriers in violation of the July 13, 2002, Restructuring Agreement. It has also come to the attention of the Association that the Company has improperly and arbitrarily removed pilots from the Affected Pilot List.
It is ALPA''s position that Affected Pilots being offered employment at participating wholly-owned or affiliate carriers should be provided, at a minimum, the same amount of time to report for employment as furloughed pilots covered by the collective bargaining agreements of the appropriate carriers are afforded to report for employment following receipt of a recall notice. It is also ALPA''s position that the Company cannot take any adverse action against any pilot on the Affected Pilot List who is unable to report for employment with a participating wholly-owned or affiliate carrier within the time allotted by that carrier because of employment restrictions imposed by the pilot''s current employer.
MEC 03-02-07, Violation of Accelerated Small Jets Agreement, MESA Airlines: It has come to the Association''s attention that MESA Airlines is flying small jets under the US Airways code in violation of Section 1 of the US Airways Pilots Working Agreement, the July 13, 2002, Restructuring Agreement, Letter of Agreement 83 and Letter of Agreement 84.
Specifically, small jets have been placed into revenue operation at Mesa Airlines under the US Airways code prior to the MEC agreeing to the terms and conditions for the operation of this aircraft. Additionally, the Company and/or Mesa Airlines has failed or refused to make available at least 50 percent of the jobs for small jets being flown under the US Airways code at Mesa Airlines to the US Airways Pilots on the Affected Pilot List. Also, the Company has failed or refused to provide the MEC information concerning the tail numbers of the small jets being operated at Mesa Airlines and the duration of the contract between Mesa Airlines and the Company.
ALPA is seeking the immediate cessation of the flying of small jets under the US Airways code at Mesa Airlines until such time as they are able to comply with the 50% Jets for Jobs protocol and the MEC has approved the operation. The MEC has requested a hearing on this matter before the US Airways Pilots'' System Board of Adjustment in accordance with the expedited procedures of Section 1 of the Working Agreement.
Item 5. US Airways has sent out information on the 2003 Special Open Enrollment for employees and retirees. This special enrollment reflects the revised increase of medical and dental contribution changes contained in the December 2002 Restructuring Agreement. The new contribution rates and coverage become effective May 1, 2003 and continue through December 31, 2003.
As a result of increases to the overall costs of the medical plan, and because employee and retiree contributions are increasing, US Airways is offering plan participants the opportunity to change medical options.
Active and retired pilots can sign up for this special open enrollment from March 10 to March 21. Services covered under the US Airways medical plan, and the overall plan design, remain unchanged. However, the monthly contribution for each of the three PPO BlueCard Options has increased. The revised medical and dental contributions will be provided on a rate sheet that is included in the Company''s packet and is also available on the US Airways website on the R & I Committee home page. You will then receive a personalized rate sheet with your Special Open Enrollment Kit materials in early March showing your exact medical and dental contributions. Please note that the special enrollment allows you to make changes to your medical and dental elections only. No other benefit elections are included. Employees will be able to enroll online at usairways.benefitcenter.com or you may call the US Airways Benefit Center.
Special open enrollment newsletters for active and retired employees have been sent to your home and are also available on the R&I website.
Please carefully read the US Airways benefits newsletter that explains this Special Open Enrollment and the options available to you to change your coverage. If you have questions regarding the Special Open Enrollment, contact the US Airways Benefit Center at 800-872-4780, prompt 1.
Please remember we have 1,827 pilots on furlough.
Thank you for listening.
February 27, 2003
This is Roy Freundlich with a US Airways MEC update for Thursday, February 27, with five items:
Item 1. The MEC reconvened its special meeting today in Crystal City and received a briefing in closed session on bankruptcy court hearing issues concerning the Company''s motion to terminate the pension plan. The meeting was recessed at 6:45 p.m. to the call of the chair. As previously announced, the MEC will be attending tomorrow''s hearing in uniform, which will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the US Bankruptcy Court at 200 S. Washington Street in Alexandria, Va. A shuttle bus will be available to all pilots hourly from DCA baggage claim area, door 12, to the courthouse beginning at 8:45 a.m.
Item 2. The Company is not expected to file its management compensation plan with the bankruptcy court until late this evening. The filing will be posted on the MEC website at usiarwayspilots.org once it has been received by ALPA.
Item 3. The MEC, MEC officers, and Legislative Affairs Committee are requesting that all US Airways pilots continue to participate in a grassroots effort seeking a legislative solution to the pension plan issue.
US Airways pilots are asked to fax both of their U.S. Senators, their U.S. Representative, President Bush, and Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao and urge them to support S.119, the legislation introduced to address US Airways'' critical pension funding problem.
An updated prepared form letter is available by clicking on the first link under Urgent Information on the pilots'' only home page. The link will bring you to the Legislative Affairs Committee website, which has instructions on how to use ALPA''s Write to Congress program. This program will ask you to enter your zip code to obtain the fax information for your U.S. Senators, your U.S. Representative, President Bush, and Secretary Chao.
Remember to address and to sign the form letter before faxing it. Please help to keep our message consistent by using this form letter.
The MEC thanks you in advance for your participation in this continuing and important effort.
Item 4. The following two MEC grievances were filed on February 25:
MEC 03-02-05, Inadequate Notification of Employment Opportunity For Affected Pilots - Jets For Jobs: It has come to the Association''s attention that the Company has improperly and arbitrarily failed to provide Affected Pilots adequate notice of employment opportunities and/or reporting time for vacancies at participating wholly-owned or affiliate carriers in violation of the July 13, 2002, Restructuring Agreement. It has also come to the attention of the Association that the Company has improperly and arbitrarily removed pilots from the Affected Pilot List.
It is ALPA''s position that Affected Pilots being offered employment at participating wholly-owned or affiliate carriers should be provided, at a minimum, the same amount of time to report for employment as furloughed pilots covered by the collective bargaining agreements of the appropriate carriers are afforded to report for employment following receipt of a recall notice. It is also ALPA''s position that the Company cannot take any adverse action against any pilot on the Affected Pilot List who is unable to report for employment with a participating wholly-owned or affiliate carrier within the time allotted by that carrier because of employment restrictions imposed by the pilot''s current employer.
MEC 03-02-07, Violation of Accelerated Small Jets Agreement, MESA Airlines: It has come to the Association''s attention that MESA Airlines is flying small jets under the US Airways code in violation of Section 1 of the US Airways Pilots Working Agreement, the July 13, 2002, Restructuring Agreement, Letter of Agreement 83 and Letter of Agreement 84.
Specifically, small jets have been placed into revenue operation at Mesa Airlines under the US Airways code prior to the MEC agreeing to the terms and conditions for the operation of this aircraft. Additionally, the Company and/or Mesa Airlines has failed or refused to make available at least 50 percent of the jobs for small jets being flown under the US Airways code at Mesa Airlines to the US Airways Pilots on the Affected Pilot List. Also, the Company has failed or refused to provide the MEC information concerning the tail numbers of the small jets being operated at Mesa Airlines and the duration of the contract between Mesa Airlines and the Company.
ALPA is seeking the immediate cessation of the flying of small jets under the US Airways code at Mesa Airlines until such time as they are able to comply with the 50% Jets for Jobs protocol and the MEC has approved the operation. The MEC has requested a hearing on this matter before the US Airways Pilots'' System Board of Adjustment in accordance with the expedited procedures of Section 1 of the Working Agreement.
Item 5. US Airways has sent out information on the 2003 Special Open Enrollment for employees and retirees. This special enrollment reflects the revised increase of medical and dental contribution changes contained in the December 2002 Restructuring Agreement. The new contribution rates and coverage become effective May 1, 2003 and continue through December 31, 2003.
As a result of increases to the overall costs of the medical plan, and because employee and retiree contributions are increasing, US Airways is offering plan participants the opportunity to change medical options.
Active and retired pilots can sign up for this special open enrollment from March 10 to March 21. Services covered under the US Airways medical plan, and the overall plan design, remain unchanged. However, the monthly contribution for each of the three PPO BlueCard Options has increased. The revised medical and dental contributions will be provided on a rate sheet that is included in the Company''s packet and is also available on the US Airways website on the R & I Committee home page. You will then receive a personalized rate sheet with your Special Open Enrollment Kit materials in early March showing your exact medical and dental contributions. Please note that the special enrollment allows you to make changes to your medical and dental elections only. No other benefit elections are included. Employees will be able to enroll online at usairways.benefitcenter.com or you may call the US Airways Benefit Center.
Special open enrollment newsletters for active and retired employees have been sent to your home and are also available on the R&I website.
Please carefully read the US Airways benefits newsletter that explains this Special Open Enrollment and the options available to you to change your coverage. If you have questions regarding the Special Open Enrollment, contact the US Airways Benefit Center at 800-872-4780, prompt 1.
Please remember we have 1,827 pilots on furlough.
Thank you for listening.
