June 14, 2008 CHARLOTTE PILOTS USAPA UPDATE
Company Reduction Announcement:
By now we have all heard the recent news releases that outline our management's plan for the near-term future. The announcement of impending furloughs and cut backs on the eve of negotiations is and has been used in prior time to manufacture negotiating leverage. That being said the threat to any pilot’s family and livelihood is taken very seriously by your Charlotte Representatives and rest assured we will do everything in our power to protect our pilots from these actions during these uncertain times.
Know that we do have a minimum fleet count of aircraft that are protected in the transition agreement that includes 202 east aircraft (not counting the E-190) and 120 west aircraft. Current fleet estimated size is as follows: East 204; West 128. These fleet numbers do allow our management to reduce the east by 2 aircraft and the west by 8 aircraft for a total loss of 10 aircraft. Our management announced that these reductions will cause 300 pilot furloughs. Let’s see, United reduces its fleet 100 aircraft with a 1000 pilot reduction, US Airways reduces 10 aircraft and 300 pilots furloughs???? Does anybody here but us see that the numbers are a bit skewed? That being said, management could reduce block hours flown by the remaining aircraft to further reduce the head count to a specified number stated in the transition agreement but we hope they will not return to the days of old where their inefficient use of company assets caused the single driving force to our high seat mile costs. All one has to visualize is a management team that not only utilizes the maximum from its assets (which by the way includes all the employees), formulates a business plan for the current environment, and then sees that the most profitable airline in the history of aviation continues to move forward in a progressive manner with the highest paid pilots while attaining the lowest costs in the industry. Doug and Scott, can you say Southwest?
Your entire BPR and Officer team are on top of this situation and will use all of our resources to protect each and every one of you from being held hostage as we pursue your new agreement. Remember that we still have 11 E-190s coming by January 2009 which should balance out yesterday’s onerous announcement. No matter how you cut the mustard, we do not see how the numbers with our current staffing equate to the Parker/Kirby announcement, unless they intend to increase seat cost by reducing daily block hours on the fleet. Manufacturing negotiating leverage by holding pilots hostage will be dimly viewed. And in the eyes of your Charlotte Representatives, that ploy is not an acceptable tool in the upcoming negotiations. Stay focused on Safety, ensure passenger comfort, and maintain your focus on your job as these events unfold.
BPR Meeting
Your USAPA Board of Pilot Representatives met in Charlotte this week on Tuesday June 10 and Wednesday June 11, 2008. Unfortunately once again we still have had no participation from Phoenix and Las Vegas. We worked diligently to craft strategies and concepts to present to Management as we move forward negotiating a new contract. It has been and will continue to be the Board's dedicated mission to improve and protect the working conditions and career expectations for all pilots at US Airways. The process to develop these strategies incorporated by your Board of Pilot Representatives has included input from line pilots involved in their new Union's mission and direction, and the Board has discussed and fully investigated each concern. Your Pilot Representatives are totally committed to an open and democratic process.
We started with a briefing by the officers on activities concerning membership and billing. The accounting process is complete and the billing process will commence on Monday of next week. Those of you on dues check off will receive a bill for the balance owed from April 18 until May 1. For those of you not on dues check off you will receive a bill for all monies owed since April 18, 2007 to the present billing cycle. These dues are calculated on the 1.95% figure used by the former bargaining agent and when we are fully operational the goal is to substantially reduce that number to accommodate the more economical operation of your new Union. Rest assured your Charlotte Representatives will work diligently to ensure the most cost efficient use of your dues monies and work to reduce your dues contributions as soon as operationally practicable.
Non-Members will still be responsible for germane dues. Currently most activities of your new union are germane and non-member’s dues will equal a figure the same as member dues; the difference being that non-members will not be eligible to vote or participate in the union process. After 60 days if dues obligations are not met, due to agency shop policy USAPA will pursue all avenues towards collection which, as per Section 29 of your working agreements (both East and West), could subject the pilot to disciplinary action up to and including termination.
Former Empire Pilots
Several of the former Empire Pilots were present at this meeting to address the BPR regarding fixing the wrong that occurred 23 years ago in the Piedmont/Empire integration. The group was attempting to recapture their Empire Date of Hire from this previous merger which would have required opening up your seniority list to reordering prior to moving forward with contract negotiations. The board spent several hours on Tuesday afternoon and again on Wednesday morning in Executive Session with the Merger Committee and Council, with a final determination by the Board that it would not be in the best interests of any of our pilots to revisit a seniority list that had been certified and implemented. Consistent with industry standard practice we will not change any pilot seniority list that has become a part of a working contract. In our opinion (and that of legal counsel) such an action would expose all of our pilots to risk in the immediate future. Regarding the Empire situation, as well as any previous integration or seniority claims, it was determined that the certified lists that have been in place on both the East and West properties have been in place and functional, and we will move on to ensure no more mistakes created by our past bargaining agent will occur into the future. Simply put, the liability of reordering either list as a past precedence was too large to risk the future of the pilots of US Airways. The entire Board understood the situation and the complexities associated with this emotional issue. After lengthy debate and evaluation the Board decided to move forward with our current certified lists.
Negotiating Advisory Board Update
Prior to entering into a strategy session with the BPR, the Negotiating Advisory Committee briefed all pilots in attendance on their activities and upcoming events. The committee has been reviewing the entire contract including sections previously marked closed under ALPA. While the committee found some of the previously T/A’d sections were adequate others will require revisiting. One of the unacceptable inadequacies agreed-to by the previous negotiating committee was a pay cap of 99 hours, that's right 99 hours. As if that wasn't enough, there were also provisions allowing a pilot to fly an additional 9 hours resulting in an actual pay cap of 108. We think you would all agree that during the past 7 years, US Airways pilots have given more than their share and will never agree to commuter style work rules such as a 108 hour pay cap. Remember our management in now considering furloughs!!! That being stated the Committee is preparing to meet the Company informally on June 16, 2008 prior to formal negotiations that will begin on the week of June 23, 2008. At this time all sections are considered open and subject to future negotiations by the committee.
Your Negotiating Committee was charged with the following resolution from your BPR:
08- 26a Negotiating Advisory Committee Authorization
WHEREAS the Board of Pilot Representatives has charged the Negotiating Advisory Committee with reviewing the history of negotiations aimed at securing a single employment agreement for the merged US Airways and determining those issues that require further discussions with management; and
WHEREAS the Committee has provided the BPR its recommendations as to issues that should be pursued through further negotiations with the Company,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the Negotiating Advisory Committee is authorized to commence negotiations with US Airways management.
Motion passes
Merger Committee Update
We spent the remainder of the afternoon and Wednesday morning with the Merger Committee discussing strategies and all the prospects that were needed to allow us to move forward and provide a fair and equitable list for all the pilots of US Airways. We previously touched on Empire discussions that we debated at length during this briefing. The end result to move forward with our current certified lists was our only option and the decision was made by the board with the following resolutions.
After the full briefing we passed the following 3 Merger related Resolutions.
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AI 08-27b
Motion Koseruba/Britt:
WHEREAS the Merger Committee has prepared and presented a methodology for the development of a comprehensive Date of Hire seniority list to the Board of Pilot Representatives, and
WHEREAS the Board of Pilot Representatives desires to create a fair and equitable implementation of this list, and
WHEREAS a set of conditions and restrictions appropriate for the implementation of the Date of Hire seniority list has been created by the Merger Committee,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the BPR approves the creation of the Date of Hire list with conditions and restrictions as presented by the Merger Committee.
Motion Passes
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AI 08-27c Charging of Merger Committee
Motion McKee/Peters
WHEREAS the Merger Committee has presented a methodology for the creation of a Date of Hire seniority list, and
WHEREAS the Board of Pilot Representatives has approved the methodology for the creation of a Date of Hire list, and
WHEREAS the Merger Committee has constructed a set of conditions and restrictions to ensure a fair and equitable implementation of a Date of Hire seniority list, and
WHEREAS the Board of Pilot Representatives has accepted the conditions and restrictions as presented,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Pilot Representatives directs the Merger Committee, working in concert with the Negotiating Advisory Committee, to create contract language necessary to ensure implementation of a Date of Hire list that includes the conditions and restrictions approved by the BPR.
Motion passes unanimously
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AI 08-27a
Motion McKee/Westerberg:
WHEREAS the Merger Committee has screened various candidates for the position of Merger Counsel, and after careful consideration recommends that the Association retain the services of Seham, Seham, Meltz and Petersen for the position of Merger Counsel,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the BPR approves the hiring of the firm of Seham, Seham, Meltz and Petersen to serve as Merger Counsel for USAPA.
Motion passes unanimously
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Communications
Scott Theuer and Arnie Gentile then briefed the board on the status of the Communications Committee. The new website is moving forward and we should be seeing the new product in the very near future. As we begin the Negotiations phase to your next contract and working conditions we need to focus on solid, accurate communications and we need your help and support to reach our goals of attaining the contract that you can not only live with but afford. We need you to participate and stay informed. Remember the following points and get involved in the process:
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Our Negotiating Advisory Committee needs your support.
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We are returning to the table in less than two weeks.
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A majority of US Airways pilots are at the absolute bottom of industry pay.
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It’s not what the Company says, it’s what they do that matters.
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It’s not what the pilots say, it’s what they do that matters.
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Difficult as things seem, Revenue Passenger Miles and load factors are up and analysts are already predicting 2009 as the “recovery year†– our pilots should expect an industry-standard contract and settle for nothing less.
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Remember what the FOM requires - “Safety, Comfort, Schedule, Efficiencyâ€
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Stay informed.
The Rest of the Story
The remainder of Wednesday after noon was used to close up open items from the previous meeting that were tabled until this meeting. These items dealt with the wearing of the new uniform, as all three of us have heard from you regarding this issue. We also dealt with the future use of a call sign and did the background research on this with the FAA to determine if we were going to take a position on this item. After debate and consideration your board passed the following resolutions:
AI 08-16 New Uniform
Motion Koseruba/Westberg:
WHEREAS USAPA believes that management should not gain benefits from the merger of US Airways and America West unless and until the long outstanding pilots’ issues are resolved including equal pay, work rules, vacation, and many others, and
WHEREAS the wearing of a common uniform is a step toward the completion of that merger and yet major pilots’ issues remain unresolved, and
WHEREAS the previous collective bargaining agent raised a dispute on this issue and that the grievance was denied by an arbitrator,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that in the interest of moving forward to set a positive tone for the upcoming negotiations that the USAPA Board of Pilot Representatives acknowledges the requirement that the US Airways pilots begin wearing the new uniform by July 1.
Motion passes
AI 08-15 FAA Call Sign for the Combined Carrier
Motion Stein/Westberg:
WHEREAS US Airways and America West are completing a merger and a single FAA call sign will be needed for the combined carrier, and
WHEREAS the FAA would like to see a common call sign for both East and West Combined Operations for the benefit of safety as well as to reduce confusion to ATC and other interested parties, and
WHEREAS Advisory Circular 8900.1, Section B. The Telephony Designator (Call Sign) states “…Usually, the company name or a pronounceable abbreviation of the company name is used in combination with ATC facilities and operating services. An example is ‘American 411’â€. And that “...a call sign should not consist of more than two words and three syllables.â€
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the BPR endorses and recommends that the company adopt a single FAA Call Sign that complies with AC 8900.1 for both East and West Operations.
Message from your Council Leadership
Once again we are excited and proud to represent you at the BPR. It was obvious to all that this union is truly being run by US Airways pilots through their base representatives. We worked hard and accomplished many of our initial goals. While communications to our pilots remains essential we know that active participation by all our members is the key to our future success. We again invite you to take a leadership role in the participation of our new union and will deliver you the tools to contribute.
Management will attempt to use the increased fuel prices to lower your expectations in the upcoming negotiations. Remember that when you are filling your vehicle at the pump and that total runs towards $100.00 you are unable to pass on that cost since you are the consumer. Realize that as the dollar falls so does your buying power, not only at the pump but in every consumer product you buy. Fuel costs are being added daily to the products your family needs and at the end of the day you are working for the absolute lowest pay levels in the industry and making on average 12.5% less than other pilots flying for the same company. Remember that when you were hired and into the mid 1980’s Captains you flew with were making $156.00 in 1985 dollars. Remember that hostages were taken in 1996 during negotiations and it appears we are dealing with the same type of crisis negotiating tactics, only with a different management group. Manufacturing negotiating capital is not acceptable to your BPR. Stay informed, fly safe, and ensure your passengers' comfort. Make solid Captain decisions every day, and be a good Union Member. Let’s all look after each other.
We are planning our first Charlotte Council Meeting for June 30, 2008. Once we finalized the agenda, time, and place we will send out the official notice via E-mail and website. We look forward to seeing you then.
Once again our contact numbers are as follows Dave Koseruba at (980) 875-7645, dkoseruba@usairlinepilots.org; Bill McKee (980) 875-7644, bmckee@usairlinepilots.org; and Steve Greif at (704) 497-7246, sgreif@usairlinepilots.org.
Thank you for your continued support.
Fly Safe,
Dave, Steve, and Bill
