US Airways management has successfully deflected the blame for this botched merger

nostradamus

Veteran
Dec 7, 2004
2,038
0
AWA pilots union public web site article below.

US Airways management has successfully deflected the blame for this botched merger on two fronts.

First, they are attributing their inability to close out labor agreements on the current “pilot issue,†completely ignoring the fact that management made the decision purposely to drag out negotiations for more than two years, well after the seniority award despite the advice of everyone at ALPA. They even have yet to offer economics worth considering. Now, management is blaming the “pilot issue†for their inability to close out labor agreements with other work groups.

Here’s a brief history:

· Fall 2005: The notorious “Hemmenway Letter†kicks off negotiations, with a threat to both pilot groups that we will have to all work under LOA 93 if we cannot reach a “cost neutral†(read, “pay-cut for America West pilotsâ€) agreement with the company.

· Spring 2006: Company negotiators, at the direction of Parker, present the first of many concessionary proposals—a scheduling proposal that is based upon LOA 93 but with far less.

· Fall 2006: ALPA warns the company that dragging out negotiations may cause ratification difficulties if the seniority award is issued before there is a ratified TA.

· January 2007: The company publicly offers “the highest of the three†contracts in order to acquire Delta, yet nothing but concessionary proposals appear at the negotiating table. The company later loses its bid for Delta after Delta employees rally together to block Parker from making the same mistakes with their company that he is making at US Airways. Yet again, ALPA warns the company that dragging out negotiations may cause ratification difficulties if the seniority award is issued before there is a ratified TA.

· February 2007: The seniority integration arbitration concludes, and the company is again warned that the lack of a contract before the seniority award is issued may prevent contract ratification by one or both pilot groups.

· May 2007: The “Kirby Proposal†emerges, which offers America West pilots a three percent pay raise paid for by concessions in other areas of the America West contract. During presentation of the Kirby Proposal, US Airways President Scott Kirby mentions that pilot expectations are too high, despite the fact that it is he and other senior managers who set the expectation for all employees with their lavish post-merger compensation packages.

· Summer 2007: Kirby begins to insist that America West pilots mitigate the seniority award so that he can try to cram another sub-standard contract down our throats.

Second, management has taken credit for operational improvements that have more to do with seasonal capacity reduction than savvy operational management. It is very likely that once capacity ramps up again for the holiday season, we will see the worst performance figures so far this year.

Unfortunately, too many of our customers are asking themselves, "Do I really want to rely on US Airways to get me where I need to go this holiday season?"

Captain Tania Bziukiewicz
Communications Committee Chairman


AWA pilot union public web site
 
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #2
On America West pilot union public web site, available to the general public.

"Unfortunately, too many of our customers are asking themselves, "Do I really want to rely on US Airways to get me where I need to go this holiday season?" (In red letters on public web site.)

Captain Tania Bziukiewicz
Communications Committee Chairman

A Usairways pilot was fired for threatening holiday bookings. What are you implying here, double standard???
 
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #3
Also on America West Pilots public web site

"The non-rev boarding priority is just one of many losses the America West employees have endured as a result of this merger."


Can you explain what you also lost due to the merger. By the way your pilot union did not refer to this as a merger before. You saved our lives (remember you think this is reality) when you took your airline checkbook out, with government and taxpayer money from the 911 bail out and came up with 1/50th of the financing for Usairways. Former Usairways owners came up with the rest.


PS On your public web site, you mention the holiday party, sorry I can not make it because I have to defrost my refrigerator that night.
 
I am fully typed on the 737, 757/767 and the A320. I am available for short-term contract work in December.
 


REMEMBER IN THE DAYS PRECEEDING AND FOLLOWING THE PI MERGER HOW PILOT JOB ACTIONS CAUSED NUMEROUS DELEAYS/CANCELLATIONS. AS MANY AS 30 CANCELLATIONS OUT OF CLT IN ONE DAY. HOW MANY YEARS DID IT TAKE US TO DIG OUT OF THAT ONE?
 
I agree - it would have been best if both carriers went out of business. This merger was a bad idea.
 
I agree - it would have been best if both carriers went out of business. This merger was a bad idea.


AND WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN A GOOD IDEA? PUT 30,000+ PEOPLE OUT OF WORK?

WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE GAINED FROM THAT?
 
Thanks for calling me a troll - I appreciate your decorum and your class. It makes my point very clear with this tread. My point is although the merger has not been perfect - it was better than putting 30k people out of work.
 
I agree - it would have been best if both carriers went out of business. This merger was a bad idea.
WRONG! This merger should have achieved a lot for BOTH sides of the operation. Management and Mangement alone can lay claim to botching up the integration, creating dissention amongst the ranks and p*ssing off multitudes of customers in the process. As for Me....I just stoke the fires when I see an opportunity. (And some of us thought the US/PI merger was a disaster...........THIS could be catergorized as a ClusterF* in a Nutshell!)
 

Latest posts

Back
Top