US Pilots Labor Discussion

[767one]

Whats your compensation on the 767? Is it more than a Delta First Officer? or a JetBlue 320 Captain? Why do you choose to remain on LOA93 wages?

USAPA = Even the old guys are buying our crap.

Freebird,

I have no idea what a Delduh or Jetblow captain makes. As for why I still am on LOA 93 wages it's because we don't have a new contract and that is due to the company and the pilots from the west holding up the process with lawsuits.

Would I like a new contract?..... it would be nice but I'm not willing to pay a large price again to just to get a contract. If the west wins then we will have a contract if the east wins we will have a contract but these things are in the future because I suspect either side can keep the lawyers busy for many more years,perhaps more years than this company will be around because this place is being run for the short term untill the next deal. The next deal is not going to happen because nobody wants this mess.


Regards,


Bob

 

[MUTATIS MUTANDIS]

Where are you Ames? Did you get stuck in another one of your lies? June 14, you stated that one of you queeny f/o's had a east pilot fired. I called you a LIER. Give us a name. How about a time and place...... just like I thought, YOU LIED in a poor attempt to make a point.

AMES can't get back to you because that little, or really quite large fabrication of the truth "DID NOT HAPPEN"! His little girlfriend probably had something to do with an emotional outburst in a layover hotel leading to dillusions of hormone induced rage followed by, oh yes fabrication! MM!

 

[cactusboy53]

Hey buddy......time to get ready for your depo soon.

Alex, I'll take Legal Boondoggles for $1000.

This "union", started in April 2008, holds the record for the most frivolous mass litigations and "professional fees" spent on these actions.

What is USAPA?

DING DING DING DING. Nicely Done!

 

[luvthe9]

Go back to bed Capt. Van Winkle. It's not 1970 anymore. If they don't do their job, confiscate their ID's and escort them off the property.

This is the bed they want you to lay in Bob. It is an attitude they learned at MESA from Orenstein. Don't ever make the mistake and let any merger happen with them. They will walk up and over you to get instant gratification. You see it right here everyday.

 

[luvthe9]

Your remain dead locked because you are junior and want to be senior

Exactly. Little SOCIALISTS. Take the Kirby now, so we can walk up your back.

 

[luvthe9]

People that live in glass lane houses, should not throw stones

And Fred Ahern has issues? Holy cow! No wonder Aqua is coming unbonded! That chart is UNBELIEVABLE!

 

[nic4us]

Freebird,

I have no idea what a Delduh or Jetblow captain makes. As for why I still am on LOA 93 wages it's because we don't have a new contract and that is due to the company and the pilots from the west holding up the process with lawsuits.

Would I like a new contract?..... it would be nice but I'm not willing to pay a large price again to just to get a contract. If the west wins then we will have a contract if the east wins we will have a contract but these things are in the future because I suspect either side can keep the lawyers busy for many more years,perhaps more years than this company will be around because this place is being run for the short term untill the next deal. The next deal is not going to happen because nobody wants this mess.


Regards,


Bob

767,

Time to be honest with yourself, or at least get an education surrounding the facts here.

The West pilots have filed exactly one lawsuit...which by the way we obtained a favorable verdict. Due to this fact, the company cannot remain in the untenable position of joining usapa on the losing end of a lawsuit that would amount to hundreds of millions of dollars, the company has filed exactly one lawsuit. Everybody knows usapa's plan has been steal seniority through a DOH rewrite of the seniority list, or, if that is not allowed, steal it through forcing permanent seperate ops until the hammer comes down, then close shop and dump their debts on somebody else. (Just a reminder, it is possible to garnish SS and retirement income).

Now, the east pilots and usapa on the other hand, filed the first lawsuit in DC when the Nic was released. Walked away from the negotiating table. Filed the RICO suit. Filed every frivoulous motion imaginable both during Addington, during the Appeal, and now during the company's DJ, to stall every legal process. For you, an east pilot, to point the finger at the West and the company is laughable.

Now the honest fact of the matter is the reason you are still on LOA93, is because you are okay with it, and do not care that usapa is stalling the process.

We could have had a new contract years ago, using the Nic, but the east wanted to renege, and you have temporarily done so. All the blame goes east, end of story.

PS. The east even sabotaged Wye River. Coming to find mutual solutions, and basically telling ALPA, "we get what we want or you are gone". Thinking they could get their way, either with ALPA or not, and once again proving they have absolutely zero situational awareness of the predicament they are in.

PSS. The company has been more than tolerant with the situation. Why would they not be when guys like you are okay with working under LOA93 til retirement? The age 65 rule change was a huge widfall for both the 59.5 year olds, and the company.

 

[nic4us]

So in the latest usapa legal update, what exactly are they asking for?

They want the judge to grant the company immunity from any future lawsuit, taking all the responsibility upon themselves, thus hoping the company will aquiesce to a DOH list, knowing they will be held harmless? Then what, leave the burden of a huge DFR verdict upon those that inherit usapa while the "attrition" kicks in?

Couple of flaws with that strategy.

First, the company will not be held harmless, when a third of its pilots can pull the same "work stoppage" the company fears from usapa in their lawsuit.

Second, talk about not ripe. Granting immunity from some future event.

Third, usapa will not be able to pass the ball to the IBT, or back to ALPA, or anywhere else for that matter. No organization will touch the damages award coming usapa's way. Just would not make financial sense. And, for those on the east that think they will get spared by retiring, think again.

 

[RSVP767]

I believe I have stumbled upon one of BoingBoys home videos!

Retired Captains World

 

[cleardirect]

924PS,

At this point in time as far as I'm concerned he is only accused of doing something illegal. Maybe someone can tell me where to find all of the details but all the news articles I have seen so far only mention that the hotel employees hand was caught in the door. With all the crime going on in cities I would have to wonder if Rick perhaps thought that someone dressed as a hotel employee was trying to break in and Rick did his best to prevent that. I have been awakened in the middle of the night before by the sound of the safety chain being rattled after someone used a key to open the door. Even if the person outside the hotel door identified himself as a hotel employee I would not let them in until I could call the front dest and verify that someone had been sent and why unless I had called to have that person sent to my room. Anybody could fake an ID and a uniform. For that matter if it was a policeman outside the door I wouldn't open it until I called 911 to see why they were there.


Regards,


Bob

So a guy that has been arrested and charged. You leap to his defense and correctly point out that he is only accused of doing something. Yet when usapa and your east buddies wander all over the internet and official publication stating as fact that 3 west pilots stole ID's and were going to jail. You were deafeningly silent. Where was your support of innocent until proven guilty then? BTW the FBI, TSA states attorney general have all looked at and reject the accusations against the west pilots.

Why did you not say anything to your fellow east posters that have convicted the 3 west pilots already?

Double standard? Hypocrite?

How much credibility will usapa have when the 3 west pilots go back to work without being charged and it turns out that everything usapa stated as fact was false? Still going to believe usapa and Cleary?

PS. Read the story it was 4PM in the afternoon not the middle of the night when the security guard came calling. Rumor has it he was smoking in a non-smoking room. That is a no-no rule breaker. Is it possible for any of you guys to follow rules or are you all just above it and they don't apply to east pilots?

 

[MUTATIS MUTANDIS]

So a guy that has been arrested and charged. You leap to his defense and correctly point out that he is only accused of doing something. Yet when usapa and your east buddies wander all over the internet and official publication stating as fact that 3 west pilots stole ID's and were going to jail. You were deafeningly silent. Where was your support of innocent until proven guilty then? BTW the FBI, TSA states attorney general have all looked at and reject the accusations against the west pilots.

Why did you not say anything to your fellow east posters that have convicted the 3 west pilots already?

Double standard? Hypocrite?

How much credibility will usapa have when the 3 west pilots go back to work without being charged and it turns out that everything usapa stated as fact was false? Still going to believe usapa and Cleary?

PS. Read the story it was 4PM in the afternoon not the middle of the night when the security guard came calling. Rumor has it he was smoking in a non-smoking room. That is a no-no rule breaker. Is it possible for any of you guys to follow rules or are you all just above it and they don't apply to east pilots?

I guess their as credible as 18 WEST pilots! MM!

 

[cleardirect]

So in the latest usapa legal update, what exactly are they asking for?

They want the judge to grant the company immunity from any future lawsuit, taking all the responsibility upon themselves, thus hoping the company will aquiesce to a DOH list, knowing they will be held harmless? Then what, leave the burden of a huge DFR verdict upon those that inherit usapa while the "attrition" kicks in?

Couple of flaws with that strategy.

First, the company will not be held harmless, when a third of its pilots can pull the same "work stoppage" the company fears from usapa in their lawsuit.

Second, talk about not ripe. Granting immunity from some future event.

Third, usapa will not be able to pass the ball to the IBT, or back to ALPA, or anywhere else for that matter. No organization will touch the damages award coming usapa's way. Just would not make financial sense. And, for those on the east that think they will get spared by retiring, think again.

I thought that was kind of foolish but typical of usapa myself. Cleary taking on all the liability for the pilots. It will not cost Cleary so what does he care.

It is going to be interesting when Cleary goes back to the line and fly as a normal puke. After 4 years of delivering nothing and lying to the pilots how will he be treated. As a hero or a theft that stole 4 years of contract improvements? Remember there is no national position for him to go hide from the pilots here. It may be a cold and lonely crew room for the king with no cloths.

Ripeness exactly! How can the court grant immunity for a future event? Besides, seniority is not the only DFR that can be filed. What is the rest of the contract going to look like? usapa decides to takes 99% of the contract for the east and leave the west with less than what we have now. DFR! Nothing to do with seniority but the court is going to give the company a legal pass on agreeing to that? Not likely!

 

[cleardirect]

I guess their as credible as 18 WEST pilots! MM!

Are you talking about the 18 that were dismissed with prejudice by 2 courts in usapa's own backyard? Dismissed BTW without even a trial or presenting evidence because the charges were so incorrect the NC judge threw the case out on it's ass. The same 18 that were falsely accused by usapa? Yes those 18 have a lot of credibility and the other 3 are going to walk away with a nice paid vacation leaving usapa and it's supporters looking foolish yet again.

 

[767one]

So a guy that has been arrested and charged. You leap to his defense and correctly point out that he is only accused of doing something. Yet when usapa and your east buddies wander all over the internet and official publication stating as fact that 3 west pilots stole ID's and were going to jail. You were deafeningly silent. Where was your support of innocent until proven guilty then? BTW the FBI, TSA states attorney general have all looked at and reject the accusations against the west pilots.

Why did you not say anything to your fellow east posters that have convicted the 3 west pilots already?

Double standard? Hypocrite?

How much credibility will usapa have when the 3 west pilots go back to work without being charged and it turns out that everything usapa stated as fact was false? Still going to believe usapa and Cleary?

PS. Read the story it was 4PM in the afternoon not the middle of the night when the security guard came calling. Rumor has it he was smoking in a non-smoking room. That is a no-no rule breaker. Is it possible for any of you guys to follow rules or are you all just above it and they don't apply to east pilots?

I'll tell you what...next time a west pilot gets into legal problems I'll defend him as I will defend Rick. I don't spend my life on these boards so I more than likely only read 1/4 to 1/3 of the posts. The articles I read did not mention either the time of day or rumored smoking. Still no difference as far as opening the door. If I don't know why someone is at the door and before I can call the desk the door starts to be opened I'll treat it just like someone is trying to get in the flightdeck.
As for the accused 3 west pilots if they have done nothing wrong then fine, sorry they had to go through all of that but something was done with pilot information and whether or not it rises to the level of criminal activity, time will tell. I'll tell you what....next time a west pilot gets into trouble you pm me just in case I miss it on the boards and I will leap to his or her defense.


Regards,


Bob

 

[CactusPilot1]

767,

Time to be honest with yourself, or at least get an education surrounding the facts here.

The West pilots have filed exactly one lawsuit...which by the way we obtained a favorable verdict. Due to this fact, the company cannot remain in the untenable position of joining usapa on the losing end of a lawsuit that would amount to hundreds of millions of dollars, the company has filed exactly one lawsuit. Everybody knows usapa's plan has been steal seniority through a DOH rewrite of the seniority list, or, if that is not allowed, steal it through forcing permanent seperate ops until the hammer comes down, then close shop and dump their debts on somebody else. (Just a reminder, it is possible to garnish SS and retirement income).

Now, the east pilots and usapa on the other hand, filed the first lawsuit in DC when the Nic was released. Walked away from the negotiating table. Filed the RICO suit. Filed every frivoulous motion imaginable both during Addington, during the Appeal, and now during the company's DJ, to stall every legal process. For you, an east pilot, to point the finger at the West and the company is laughable.

Now the honest fact of the matter is the reason you are still on LOA93, is because you are okay with it, and do not care that usapa is stalling the process.

We could have had a new contract years ago, using the Nic, but the east wanted to renege, and you have temporarily done so. All the blame goes east, end of story.

PS. The east even sabotaged Wye River. Coming to find mutual solutions, and basically telling ALPA, "we get what we want or you are gone". Thinking they could get their way, either with ALPA or not, and once again proving they have absolutely zero situational awareness of the predicament they are in.

PSS. The company has been more than tolerant with the situation. Why would they not be when guys like you are okay with working under LOA93 til retirement? The age 65 rule change was a huge widfall for both the 59.5 year olds, and the company.

Leonidas has a good review of our past and current situation.

• Leonidas, LLC was formed in August of 2007 for the purpose of defending
the seniority rights of the former America West Pilots. Leonidas solicits
and accepts contributions to support these efforts through our website
www.cactuspilot.com. Leonidas, LLC is not a 501(c) 3 charitable
organization.
• The seniority dispute arose after the pre-merger US Airways (East) pilots
refused to accept the result of a final and binding arbitration which
produced a combined seniority list for the pilots of the two airlines. This
seniority list is referred to as the “Nicolau Award.”
• At the time of the merger in 2005, both pilot groups were represented by
the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). Per ALPA merger policy, if two pilot
groups cannot agree how to integrate two seniority lists into a single,
combined list, then both groups must participate in a mediation process,
followed by arbitration if necessary. As is common in mergers, West and
East pilots could not agree how to integrate, so the matter was referred to
a professional arbitrator – George Nicolau – to decide. Arbitrator Nicolau
was assisted by two pilots from other airlines. The West pilots selected a United Airlines captain as their “pilot neutral,” while the East selected a
Continental Airlines captain as their “pilot neutral”.
• After three months of hearings which included expert witnesses,
thousands of pages of transcripts and numerous exhibits from both sides,
Arbitrator Nicolau, (aided by the two pilot neutrals) crafted an integration
methodology for East and West. This result is known as the “Nicolau
Award.” The full text of the Nicolau Award can be downloaded at
www.cactuspilot.com.
• The East’s integration proposal centered on the date in which pilots were
hired at their respective airlines, or Date-of-Hire (DOH). The East
proposal would place 85% of the West pilots in the bottom 25%.
• The West proposal was essentially a top-down blended ratio of actively
working pilots based on their relative positions at their separate
companies: the idea was that each pilot would take their relative positions
on the separate lists to the combined list.
• Arbitrator Nicolau advised the East merger representatives that he would
not entertain a Date-of-Hire proposal (DOH) no less than three times.
The East never altered their DOH proposal in any material fashion.
• In his final award, Arbitrator Nicolau expressly rejected the East’s “Dateof-
Hire” proposal and instead accepted a modified version of the West’s
proposal.
• The East pilots refused to accept Arbitrator Nicolau’s decision and
demanded that ALPA refuse to accept the Award as well. After hearing
the complaints by the East pilots, the President of ALPA accepted the
Nicolau Award and forwarded it to US Airways President Doug Parker. Mr.
Parker accepted the Award on behalf of US Airways in December of 2007.
• The US Airline Pilots Association (USAPA) was formed after the Nicolau
Award was publicized as a means to prevent the implementation of the
Nicolau Award. Federal law requires a simple majority to changed
bargaining agents (union). The “East” pilots of US Airways outnumbered
the pilots of America West by a two-to-one (2-1) margin at that time.
USAPA was therefore created by the East, for the East, and to exclusively
serve the East pilots' desires to evade the Nicolau seniority arbitration and
impose their preferred (yet rejected by the arbitrator) Date-of-Hire
seniority integration scheme.
The union was certified as the exclusive Collective Bargaining Agent for all
US Airways pilots in April 2008 by virtue of the East pilot’s majority vote.
The West pilots lent virtually unanimous support to ALPA, yet failed to
prevent its ouster.
A lawsuit, known as Addington versus USAPA, (or simply, Addington) was
filed against USAPA in September 2008 by six West pilots on behalf of the
West pilots as a class. The West pilots' legal expenses were paid by
Leonidas, LLC using voluntary contributions. A jury trial addressing the
merits of USAPA’s actions was held in April and May of 2009 in the United
States Federal District Court in Arizona, Judge Neil V. Wake presiding.
• The jury found that USAPA had no “legitimate union objective” in evading
the Nicolau award; rather they were serving the interests of the East pilots
at great detriment to the West pilots.
• Judge Wake’s “Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law” (Document 593)
can be found on www.cactuspilot.com. This document thoroughly and
accurately describes the circumstances and events that lead to a
unanimous jury verdict (which deliberated for less than two hours) finding
USAPA guilty of breaching its Duty of Fair Representation (DFR) to the
West pilots by attempting to evade the Nicolau arbitration.
• In June of 2010, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the District
Court in a 2-1 split decision based on “ripeness grounds” only (this opinion
can be found at www.cactuspilot.com ). The appeals court found that, as
a matter of law, the West pilots’ suit was filed too early - before there was
a completed contract. The appeals court did not examine the matter of
USAPA’s repudiation of the Nicolau Award: “By deferring judicial
intervention, we leave USAPA to bargain in good faith pursuant to its DFR,
[sic. Duty of Fair Representation] with the interests of all members – both
East and West – in mind, under the pain of an unquestionably ripe DFR
suit, once a contract is ratified.” FN1, Addington v. USAPA, pg. 8008.
• In light of the Ninth Circuit's ruling, USAPA maintains that it has complete
freedom to negotiate away from the Nicolau Award to pursue a Date-of-
Hire contract with impunity, and that it can do so while easily meeting
their Duty to Fairly Represent West pilots. USAPA’s proposed seniority list
is virtually the same Date-of-Hire methodology expressly rejected by
Arbitrator Nicolau and both pilot neutrals in the arbitration.
• USAPA maintains that it will use all available means, up to and including a
labor strike against the company, in order to compel US Airways to accept
its Date-of-Hire position in a new contract.
• Leonidas, LLC, through its attorneys notified US Airways that the West
pilots will bring another lawsuit immediately against USAPA and US
Airways should the airline's management facilitate a Date-of-Hire contract.
The West pilots' attorneys reminded the company that a Date-of-Hire
seniority scheme has already been rejected once (by Nicolau), and also
found to be illegal by a unanimous jury verdict. US Airways has stated that it is facing a “Hobson’s Choice” between the demands of the West
pilots and the demands of the union and therefore requires judicial
intervention through the court to determine its legal rights, obligations
and responsibilities.
• Six weeks after the Ninth Circuit’s opinion, US Airways filed suit in the US
Federal District Court of Arizona (available at www.cactuspilot.com)
against both USAPA and the West pilots in an action known as a
Declaratory Action. US Airways is seeking a declaration of its duties and
obligations in light of the Ninth Circuit's refusal to address the merits of
the Addington suit.
• US Airways is a party to what is called a Transition Agreement. The
Transition Agreement is a signed agreement that was entered into at the
time of the merger whereby the collective bargaining agreements [labor
contracts] of both the West and East pilots were modified to facilitate the
merger. The parties to the Transition Agreement were the East pilots, the
West pilots, and US Airways. The seniority integration process -
negotiation, mediation, arbitration – was a material term in the Transition
Agreement. The Transition Agreement is living document which remains
in full force today.
• US Airways is seeking to have its obligations and liabilities clarified by a
federal court in light of the Ninth Circuit’s refusal to address the merits of
the West pilots’ case. US Airways received the Nicolau Award and in
accordance with the plain language of the T/A, US Airways accepted the
Nicolau Award.
• Unforeseen was the election of USAPA and the new union’s subsequent
repudiation of the Nicolau Award. The company’s contractual obligations
to accept the Nicolau Award are clear in the Transition Agreement. The
Railway Labor Act also mandates that the company must negotiate with
USAPA. Shortly after the election of USAPA, the new union presented to
the company a combined seniority list proposal based on Date-of-Hire.
• To date, the company has not responded to USAPA’s seniority proposal.
Instead, US Airways is seeking guidance from a federal court as to its
obligations and liabilities.
• One round of oral arguments have taken place so far in the company’s
declaratory action; USAPA filed a motion to dismiss the company’s action
and Judge Roslyn Silver listened to oral arguments on USAPA’s motion on
February 9th, 2011. The company opposed USAPA’s motion to dismiss
while the West did not take a position either way. The West reasons that
regardless of the outcome of the company’s declaratory action, we are
going to sue under a ripe DFR if any seniority list other than the Nicolau is
used in a final joint contract. The company attorney outlined the quandary
that they now find themselves in on pages 19-20 of the transcripts
(www.cactuspilot.com ) – they’re not in a position to negotiate seniority.
For the company, they received the DOH list from the union yet they
already have a list which is the Nicolau.
• Both East and West pilots continue to operate separately under their
respective pre-merger collective bargaining agreements. The former
America West pilots have been operating under the same Collective
Bargaining Agreement since 2004. The West CBA became amendable on
January 1st 2007. West pilots voluntarily forewent their “Section Six”
negotiations under the Railway Labor Act (which allows for the negotiation
of a new labor contract at the amendable date of the existing contact)
until 2008 in order to focus on a joint labor contract with the East pilots.
When USAPA took over on April 18, 2008 they discontinued those talks.
Therefore, the West pilots have been operating under a contract that
became amendable over four years ago while their union continues to
focus solely on evading the Nicolau Award in effort to advance East pilots
at the expense of West pilots.
• The East pilots are working under the worst Collective Bargaining
Agreement in the industry and have been for nearly six years. The East
contract was “gutted by bankruptcy” during the old US Airways' two
reorganizations in the early 2000's. The East contract is known as Letter
of Agreement (LOA) 93, and it became amendable on January 1st, 2010.
LOA 93 is so inferior to the West pilots' contract that over 90% of any
monetary gains achieved by a new combined contract will benefit East
pilots only, irrespective of the seniority list used.
• USAPA made numerous campaign promises when it sought to become the
Collective Bargaining Agent. None of these promises have come to pass.
The most significant promise was that USAPA would successfully negotiate
a Date-of-Hire contract within months of being elected. Over three years
later, this remains unfulfilled.
• The West pilots (through Leonidas, LLC), having already won a jury trial
on the The West pilots (through Leonidas, LLC), having already won a jury trial
on the merits of the dispute, maintain that they will not allow USAPA, (or
any other union for that matter) to secure a contract containing anything
other than the unmodified Nicolau Award in the seniority section of the
contract.
Additional Information:
The former America West pilots view USAPA's “representation” as simply a legal
description found in the definition of a union and have never felt “represented”
by USAPA in the least. Remember, USAPA was formed by East pilots, for East
Pilots, and is directed exclusively by East pilots for the express purpose of
advancing themselves at the expense of West pilots.
• USAPA's leaders are so driven by the quest to evade the Nicolau award in
favor of Date-of-Hire that they illegally discriminate against all West pilots
and any others who might oppose their goals.
• USAPA collects dues monies under threat of termination from all US
Airways pilots (including the former AWA Pilots). To date, approximately
40% of all dues collected have been used to pay for litigation expensesthe
majority of which has been against the West pilots. This is the
highest rate of litigation expense per member of any major union. West
pilots are therefore forced to pay dues to an organization that, in turn,
uses those dues to seek to accomplish a goal that is directly contrary to
the West pilot interests; namely to evade the result of binding arbitration.
• In addition to being forced to pay almost two percent of their income to a
union openly hostile to their careers, the overwhelming majority of West
pilots also voluntarily contribute funds to Leonidas, LLC to enable it to
defend their seniority rights afforded to them by the Nicolau award.
• Although the East and West pilots continue to work under their respective
pre-merger collective bargaining agreements, the difference between East
and West CBAs is significant. The East CBA is a product of two
bankruptcies inside of three years at the pre-merger US Airways.
• The combined East/West total of all seniority related negotiation,
arbitration, and litigation expenses is nearly $10,000,000, yet the matter is
still in court today and stands to remain there for many months, or years
to come. It is conceivable that the total legal expenditures needed to
enforce an arbitration which should not have required litigation to enforce
could exceed two-to-three times this amount before the matter is settled.
• With the exception of the legally required and elected Phoenix (PHX)
union representatives (3), USAPA's National Officer ranks and remaining
union leadership is entirely comprised of former East pilots.
• With the exception of a single committee, all other USAPA committees are
chaired and controlled exclusively by former East pilots.
• Committee membership appointments and removals are controlled
exclusively by the union President (currently held by an individual openly
hostile to West pilots), with the eventual concurrence of the East
controlled Board of Pilot Representatives (8 East vs. 3 West).
• Out of nearly 250 total committee positions at USAPA, West pilots
currently occupy only fifteen. Total USAPA Committee membership is
comprised of well over 90% East pilots vs. well under 10% West pilots. It
is obvious that West pilots are denied any meaningful opportunity to
participate in the activities of USAPA.
• An alarming number of votes conducted by the Board of Pilot
Representatives (BPR) result in an exact East/West split of 8 East votes,
versus 3 West votes. Furthermore, it is extremely rare for any West
resolution of significance to be placed on the agenda and survive a BPR
vote.
• USAPA has approximately 400 outstanding contract “grievances” with US
Airways, a number which greatly exceeds (based on the airline's size) that
of any other major airline union.
• USAPA’s grievance committee is controlled by former East pilots (who held
the exact same positions under the former union, ALPA). Allegations have
been brought forward accusing USAPA of “cherry picking” which
grievances it chooses to pursue when enforcing the West pilots' contract.
The West contract expressly requires contractual grievances to be heard in
the order in which they were filed. This is not the case under USAPA.
Leonidas LLC remains committed to protecting the seniority rights of all west
pilots. We are proud of the many volunteers that have given freely of their time
and talent. We remain confident that in the United States of America, might
does not make right and justice will be done. Leonidas LLC would like to once
again thank its many contributors which make such a vigorous legal defense
possible.
Leonidas, LLC