US pilot labor thread 7/5-7/12

[Kieran]

New week, new thread.

 

[Piedmont1984]

Does someone mow the cornfield at the start of a new thread?

 

[nycbusdriver]

Please tell me why the company has any incentive to complete negotiations prior to the amendable date of LOA 93.

Unless Mr. Parker needs a contract to finally complete a merger with another carrier, I don't expect to see a new contract in place for 2-3 years, if USAirways is even still operating by then.

The company is really under no obligation to do that. It makes a lot of sense, though, to fully recoup the advantages of a seamless operation. Before Nicolau, Parker's posturing was that he didn't really need a combined pilot contract that badly and the savings would only be about $10 million a year. But that assumes that US Airways is to be a stand alone carrier until at least the amendable date of the east current contract which is 31 December 2009.

US Airways, as you may or may not have noticed, is not operating in a vacuum. It is quite obvious that Parker wishes to sell or merge US Airways. Without the previous merger fully completed, or at least having a clear path to that end, US Airways is a property that no one wants to touch. This fact does not escape Parker's notice. He has little choice but to get a single pilot contract before he can peddle his wares.

That is "why the company has incentive to complete negotiations prior to the amendable date of LOA 93," as you asked.

 

[Piedmont1984]

The company is really under no obligation to do that. It makes a lot of sense, though, to fully recoup the advantages of a seamless operation. Before Nicolau, Parker's posturing was that he didn't really need a combined pilot contract that badly and the savings would only be about $10 million a year. But that assumes that US Airways is to be a stand alone carrier until at least the amendable date of the east current contract which is 31 December 2009.

US Airways, as you may or may not have noticed, is not operating in a vacuum. It is quite obvious that Parker wishes to sell or merge US Airways. Without the previous merger fully completed, or at least having a clear path to that end, US Airways is a property that no one wants to touch. This fact does not escape Parker's notice. He has little choice but to get a single pilot contract before he can peddle his wares.

That is "why the company has incentive to complete negotiations prior to the amendable date of LOA 93," as you asked.

I might add that our unfinished merger and it's corresponding, lingering, internal turmoil might have played some small role in the DAL deal falling apart - and a considerably larger role in the UAL Merger III high speed abort.

 

[oldiebutgoody]

I think he'll do it just to piss off the Westies. We all know that the world revolves around them. I'm sure the West pilots are the only thing he's been thinking about since the merger. Why would anybody think about any other group?

 

[N924PS]

Only time will tell.

Company chess moves such as the most recent nonsense of calling in pilots that add extra fuel for "fuel awareness training" leads me to believe that nothing has changed, and that Gerrold Glass is alive and well.

They will simply drag out the negotiations at least until LOA 93 is amendable, especially since the consolidation fervor has been overshadowed by the the fuel prices.

 

[oldiebutgoody]

Only time will tell.

Company chess moves such as the most recent nonsense of calling in pilots that add extra fuel for "fuel awareness training" leads me to believe that nothing has changed, and that Gerrold Glass is alive and well.

They will simply drag out the negotiations at least until LOA 93 is amendable, especially since the consolidation fervor has been overshadowed by the the fuel prices.

And in the meantime the company continues to downsize the west side and park the west airplanes due to the lower cost east operation.

If that's what you want, I'm sure that Doug and gang will gladly go along...

 

[rvolkcpa]

I might add that our unfinished merger and it's corresponding, lingering, internal turmoil might have played some small role in the DAL deal falling apart - and a considerably larger role in the UAL Merger III high speed abort.

Wouldn't employees be better off if all contracts were resolved so that a subsequent merger could be considered? As a passenger, I would feel better about the value of the miles I've earned in both US and UAL if the carriers were merged.

 

[Poug Darker]

Aside from the merge-ability issue, I think Doug & Co. wish to eliminate the $35M payouts to the east pilots in '10 and '11.

 

[luvthe9]

.

Company chess moves such as the most recent nonsense of calling in pilots that add extra fuel for "fuel awareness training" leads me to believe that nothing has changed, and that Gerrold Glass is alive and well.

.

Fuel awareness training has been cancelled due to full page ad that "might" be put in the USA today.

 

[ALCARLOS]

the company continues to downsize the west side and park the west airplanes due to the lower cost east operation.

From a company perspective, this strategy makes sense. Note also the larger number of retirements on the East side.

 

[AAA73Pilot]

To change the subject. Was asked by a commuter Cap. today if there were any additional furloughs announced on top of the original 300. Any updates? Speculation?

 

[checksix]

Fuel awareness training has been cancelled due to full page ad that "might" be put in the USA today.

Now there's an idea that would work............any truth to the fact that it is actually being considered?

 

[checksix]

To change the subject. Was asked by a commuter Cap. today if there were any additional furloughs announced on top of the original 300. Any updates? Speculation?

I've not heard anything further. I have heard Parker and Kirby state that the min block hours pretty much keeps them from further downsizing on the east. Kirby alluded last month to being able to further reduce block hours on the west if necessary since they do not have that protection built into their contract.

Both contracts, of course, have min fleet size, but block hour protections actually require you to fly a set number of hours, which is preferable to min fleet size protection.

 

[oldiebutgoody]

To change the subject. Was asked by a commuter Cap. today if there were any additional furloughs announced on top of the original 300. Any updates? Speculation?

I haven't heard of any yet. I believe the company announcement for the downsizing said something about possibly more next year, but no numbers.

Even this relatively small downsizing has got to create a HUGE training backlog. I wonder what's going on on that front?

I think the West has a minimum fleet count built into their TA, but I don't kow just what kind of staffing formula their contract requires.