US Airways ALPA MEC Code-a-phone update (extract)

[USA320Pilot]

US Airways ALPA MEC code-a-phone update - June 15, 2007

This is Arnie Gentile with a US Airways MEC update for Friday, June 15.

Item 1. The MEC reconvened this morning at 8:30 am and spent the entire day in strategy discussions. A resolution passed that stated:

BE IT RESOLVED that the US Airways MEC authorizes the retaining of the services of the law firm of Baptiste & Wilder.

The MEC knows all to well that it was the US Airways Pilots who lead ALPA through the bankruptcy era. We led ALPA through pension terminations and now are pilots are in the forefront of post 9-11 mergers. The US Airways pilots have been at the tip of the spear for the past five years, -- always the first to suffer. We are asking ALPA International not to abandon us this time, as we fight this seniority issue. To help us, we are now bringing the Washington DC Labor Law firm of Baptiste & Wilder into the battle for our seniority.

The MEC is asking you to start another successful letter-writing campaign to ALPA International's Officers and ALPA EVPs, impressing upon them that the US Airways pilots are not going away. The US Airways pilot’s issues are on the front burner, as is ALPA's. Please ask your families and friends at other carriers to also contact ALPA. We have re-posted ALPA Officers and EVP contact information at the top of What's New. The next phase of our grassroots effort is underway.

USA320Pilot comments: The ALPA Executive Council (EC's) will meet on June 26 with an agenda item to discuss the Nicolau Award, the unwillingness of the AWA MEC to engage and participate in any process per the EC's May 24 resolution, and the US Airways MEC's desire to do its part in fulfilling the EC's Resolution.

Meanwhile, today the US Airways MEC retained the law firm of Baptiste & Wilder, who can be used to help decertify ALPA, file suit against ALPA seeking damages if the EC passes on the Nicolau Award to the company, or for advice on how to proceed to right the egregious Nicolau Award. As the MEC indicated in today's code-a-phone message, "the battle for our seniority" proceeds.

Interestingly, US Airways ALPA Communications Committee Chairman Arnie Gentile said on the code-a-phone on Thursday, June 14, "The AAA MEC is demanding immediate pay increases in order to obtain parity with the AWA pilots, and that the Strike Preparedness Committee is reactivated in support of our efforts seeking 'Equal Pay for Equal Work' for the AAA pilots."

"The MEC reconfirmed the corporation owing the original US Airways pilots $70 Million dollars (two $35 million payments) as a contractual stipulation of LOA-93 and also called for an accelerated time frame for the distribution of those funds," Gentile noted.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[Dog Wonder]

Blah Blah Blah.

Get used to the right seat. You should be already.

 

[BoeingBoy]

You forgot to post yesterday's.....

This is Arnie Gentile with a US Airways MEC update for Thursday, June 14th, with two new items.

Item 1. The MEC reconvened this morning at 8:00 am and acted on many items. Some of the highlights are:

* The AAA MEC is demanding immediate pay increases in order to obtain parity with the AWA pilots, and that the Strike Preparedness Committee is reactivated in support of our efforts seeking “Equal Pay for Equal Work†for the AAA pilots.

* It is the opinion of the MEC that management’s latest change to jumpseat booking procedures and their addition of over 1800 AWA pilots to the IVR system, has the potential to seriously impact the ability of the US Airways pilots to book jumpseats, and constitutes a violation of the US Airways Pilots Working Agreement and the “Separate Operations†provisions of LOA 96 (the Transition Agreement). As always, subject to Captains authority, all authorized pilots are welcome on US Airways jumpseats.

* After debate, the Negotiating Committee (NC) member recall resolution of Captain Donn Butkovic failed.

* The MEC reconfirmed the corporation owing the original US Airways pilots $70 Million dollars (two $35 million payments) as a contractual stipulation of LOA-93 and also called for an accelerated time frame for the distribution of those funds.

The “Compilation of Actions†from today’s work will be posted in What’s New. The MEC will reconvene tomorrow morning at 8:30 am in order to continue strategy discussions.

Item 2. The Furlough Administrator has posted an important update that reviews the recall process now that the company has reached the bottom of the furlough list. This update has been posted on both the Pilot’s Only website in What’s new and the public website. It has also been emailed to all our furloughed pilots.

Jim comments: Apparently the MEC has decided that they'd rather not continue indefinitely under LOA 93 after all. A change of sentiment in the East pilot group maybe???

 

[A320 Driver]

Jim comments: Apparently the MEC has decided that they'd rather not continue indefinitely under LOA 93 after all. A change of sentiment in the East pilot group maybe???

Not the pilot group, the MEC. The MEC has been herding the pilot group toward the joint negotiations and making repeated overtures to the West MEC to keep them from pursuing Section 6 negotiations on their own. They went so far as to give away 40% of every East pilot's profit sharing without a vote (not a new concept).

Maybe they see the futility of the single contract negotiations or maybe, MAYBE they are starting to listen to the pilot group. Most pilots I talk to have wanted pay parity from the get-go and they are SERIOUSLY ticked that the MEC gave away their profit sharing without asking.

A320 Driver B)

Accept no substitutes!

 

[N924PS]

The Jumpseat IVR issue seems rather petty on the East MEC's part.

East Pilots have been able to make IVR Reservations on West Metal for several months.

Doug and the boys must be chuckling yet again. Just let those pesky pilots fight among themselves.

Just another sad commentary on the state of USAirways and the merger (or lack of a merger) process. Sad.

 

[USA320Pilot]

BoeingBoy,

Too bad as a retired pilot you have no clue what is going on with the MEC.

The code-a-phone indicated that the East pilots want a pay raise, but it did not say they want a joint contract. I wonder how that can be? Maybe you should think about this a little more, maybe think about both code-a-phone messages, or maybe even think about this strategically.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[UAL_TECH]

BoeingBoy,

Too bad you have no clue what is going on.

The code-a-phone indicated that the East pilots want a pay raise, but it did not say they want a joint contract. I wonder how that can be? Maybe you should think about this a little more, maybe think about both code-a-phone messages, or maybe think about this strategically.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

Here's a 'Kiss' for Ya!

Because I Got High

B) ut

 

[USA320Pilot]

BoeingBoy,

Just one more point...

Yesterday's code-a-phone message said, "The MEC reconfirmed the corporation owing the original US Airways pilots $70 Million dollars (two $35 million payments) as a contractual stipulation of LOA 93 and also called for an accelerated time frame for the distribution of those funds," Communications Committee Chairman Arnie Gentile said.

If you remember these payments are not due until January 1, 2010 and January 1, 2011 per LOA 93. Can you tell me why the MEC is only discussing a pay raise, an early distribution of two $35 million payments, and a successful resolution to the Nicolau Award issue, but yet they're not speaking about a joint contract. How can that be? Please tell us...

Finally, can you tell me where there is any indication that "Apparently the MEC has decided that they'd rather not continue indefinitely under LOA 93 after all. A change of sentiment in the East pilot group maybe?"

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[Busdrvr]

BoeingBoy,

Too bad as a retired pilot you have no clue what is going on with the MEC.

The code-a-phone indicated that the East pilots want a pay raise, but it did not say they want a joint contract. I wonder how that can be? Maybe you should think about this a little more, maybe think about both code-a-phone messages, or maybe even think about this strategically.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

OK, so i guess your whole line of BS that the East would continue as a seperate unit, costing less money and therefore getting all the additional flying under a "two list" whipsaw airline was once again a load of cr@p. At least you're consistant.

 

[Callsign_Cactus]

For us morons who just cannot seem to follow you, where in the resolution below do you think the EC demands the AWA MEC to negotiate the Nicolau list? Anyone else see where?

I have to call you out once again for twisting the facts to satisfy your needs. The AWA MEC is perfectly willing to discuss “career protectionâ€￾ and improvements in “pay, benefits, work rules, and job securityâ€￾, all of which are mutually exclusive to the Nicolau list. The problem is the US MEC only wants to discuss the overturning or modifying of the list, which is a non-negotiable item. So, who is really to blame here? Answer, the east MEC and their complete failure to honor the seniority integration process as agreed to in the TA and ALPA merger policy.

“The battle for our seniorityâ€￾ - You know I say forget all the lawyers and such, let’s have all of the MEC reps from east and west along with around 10 lucky line pilots (hopefully me) from each side get into the Octagon and do real battle, UFC style, last man standing has his way. But then again, after the west finished the match in victory, the east would claim it was unfair to fight in an Octagon using bare hands, preferring instead to fight in a square ring while wearing padded gloves, even though the agreed upon contract clearly laid out the rules and dimensions of the battle ring. The east would likely challenge the west victory based on the above and the unfairness of younger faster men beating the snot out of older more experienced, and somewhat slower chaps. Oh well, it was a thought anyway.


EC RESOLUTION
WHEREAS the AAA MEC, on behalf of the AAA pilots, has requested that the Executive Council set aside the Opinion and Award in the Matter of the Seniority Integration of the Pilots of US Airways, Inc. and the Pilots of America West Airlines, Inc. (the “Awardâ€￾) and resubmit the matter to a new Arbitration Board sitting with a different arbitrator, and

WHEREAS the AWA MEC, on behalf of the AWA pilots, has argued that the Executive Council lacks jurisdiction to review or set aside the Award and that, in any event, there is no basis for doing so, and

WHEREAS the Executive Council, acutely aware of the importance of these issues to the pilots of both airlines as well as to the entire Association, desires to fully consider the views of each group and fully deliberate all issues raised in order to effectively discharge its responsibilities, and

WHEREAS the Executive Council is also acutely aware of the negative consequences that may result if the MECs fail to come together to explore consensual approaches that promote career protection and mutual success, and achieve an acceptable single collective bargaining agreement that improves pay, benefits, work rules and job security for both pilot groups,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the President continue to employ all the resources of the Association to assist the MECs in achieving these goals, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that further consideration of this agenda item is deferred to a special meeting of the Executive Council to be called by the President to be held in June 2007. 31

US Airways ALPA MEC code-a-phone update - June 15, 2007

USA320Pilot comments: The ALPA Executive Council (EC's) will meet on June 26 with an agenda item to discuss the Nicolau Award, the unwillingness of the AWA MEC to engage and participate in any process per the EC's May 24 resolution, and the US Airways MEC's desire to do its part in fulfilling the EC's Resolution.

Meanwhile, today the US Airways MEC retained the law firm of Baptiste & Wilder, who can be used to help decertify ALPA, file suit against ALPA seeking damages if the EC passes on the Nicolau Award to the company, or for advice on how to proceed to right the egregious Nicolau Award. As the MEC indicated in today's code-a-phone message, "the battle for our seniority" proceeds.

Interestingly, US Airways ALPA Communications Committee Chairman Arnie Gentile said on the code-a-phone on Thursday, June 14, "The AAA MEC is demanding immediate pay increases in order to obtain parity with the AWA pilots, and that the Strike Preparedness Committee is reactivated in support of our efforts seeking 'Equal Pay for Equal Work' for the AAA pilots."

"The MEC reconfirmed the corporation owing the original US Airways pilots $70 Million dollars (two $35 million payments) as a contractual stipulation of LOA-93 and also called for an accelerated time frame for the distribution of those funds," Gentile noted.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[A320 Driver]

This bickering bores me. I like facts, opinions are welcome but this pot stirring is getting old...fast.

"I said, you said, he said, she said"...PAALLLEEAAASSSEE

A320 Driver B)

 

[oldcrow]

"I said, you said, he said, she said"...PAALLLEEAAASSSEE
A320 Driver B)

You forgot "They" .....and their feelings are hurt

 

[USA320Pilot]

A320 Driver,

Here are the facts:

1. The AAA MEC is demanding immediate pay increases in order to obtain parity with the AWA pilots, and that the Strike Preparedness Committee is reactivated in support of our efforts seeking "Equal Pay for Equal Work" for the AAA pilots.

2. The MEC reconfirmed the corporation owing the original US Airways pilots $70 Million dollars (two $35 million payments) as a contractual stipulation of LOA 93 and also called for an accelerated time frame for the distribution of those funds.

3. The MEC reconvened this morning at 8:30 am and spent the entire day in strategy discussions.

4. Nowhere did the MEC say it was seeking a joint contract, but instead the code-a-phone said "Equal Pay for Equal Work."

5. The ALPA Executive Council (EC) will meet on June 26 with an agenda item to discuss the Nicolau Award, the unwillingness of the AWA MEC to engage and participate in any process per the EC's May 24 resolution, and the US Airways MEC's desire to do its part in fulfilling the EC's Resolution.

6. The US Airways MEC retained the law firm of Baptiste & Wilder, who can be used to help decertify ALPA, file suit against ALPA seeking damages if the EC passes on the Nicolau Award to the company, or for advice on how to proceed to right the egregious Nicolau Award. As the MEC indicated in today's code-a-phone message, "the battle for our seniority" proceeds.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[A320 Driver]

Thank You


A320 Driver B)

BTW: "They said and We said" K?

 

[EastUS]

“The battle for our seniorityâ€￾ - You know I say forget all the lawyers and such, let’s have all of the MEC reps from east and west along with around 10 lucky line pilots (hopefully me) from each side get into the Octagon and do real battle, UFC style, last man standing has his way. But then again, after the west finished the match in victory, the east would claim it was unfair to fight in an Octagon using bare hands, preferring instead to fight in a square ring while wearing padded gloves, even though the agreed upon contract clearly laid out the rules and dimensions of the battle ring. The east would likely challenge the west victory based on the above and the unfairness of younger faster men beating the snot out of older more experienced, and somewhat slower chaps. Oh well, it was a thought anyway.

Hey Cactus....I like your idea While we're proceeding into Fantasy Island, here's a thought that could put your mind at ease as per us being fragile old geezers = We forget about the losers at our respective MEC's, and grab a coupla' dozen from each side, go to one of the "Fighter Fantasyland" setups, allow each guy 1-2 hours aircraft fam time, go "Fight's On" ...and the losers resign on the spot. That idea would also improve your current situation with "stagnation" out west by quite a bit