A Message from the AWA MEC

[AA717driver]

Why not quit wasting the funds of ALPA members with THIS suit and save it for the TWA pilots....

stlflyguy

Yeah, they're cuttin' into the size of my new boat! TC

 

[wscrj]

...journalistic standards? -- Now thats funny!

 

[The Victors]

I'm sure that you west losers are just thinking there's nothing like the b_tt love of a staple job.

 

[get2flyin]

I'm sure that you west losers are just thinking there's nothing like the b_tt love of a staple job.

That's a real classy thing to say. How would you even know what that's like? Oh...never mind.

 

[Saabslime]

I suspect that both MECs are digging into their own budgets to fund the lawsuit and defense. I seriously doubt that ALPA will approve an extra OCF grant as a result of this lawsuit. They'll probably have to get by with their existing budgets.

The lawsuit is directed at the arbitrators decision on the seniority list which once finalized is supposed to be defended by ALPA according to the constitution and by-laws. Exactly how would you argue that it's the AWA MEC's sole responsibility to foot the bill for the defense of this frivolous suit?

 

[Contract]

Apparently all ALPA members will be paying dues toward the defense of this lawsuit. You really have to ask yourself, WTF are these guys smoking in the EAST?

Now they have jobs that are more stable then before and a chance to continue their career's with the same relative senority they had before this transaction. In some cases better senority, ie..top 540 something pilots at the top of the list.

GREED is DEADLY! They were victims of this before and it looks like they will fall victims of this infectious greed once again. This time it may actually bring a union to its knees, or at the very least ruin a company.

I wonder what they have up there sleeves for the next act while standing in the unemployment line? You would think that the majority of them would pipe up and put a stop to this madness.

 

[JT8D]

Apparently all ALPA members will be paying dues toward the defense of this lawsuit. You really have to ask yourself, WTF are these guys smoking in the EAST?

Now they have jobs that are more stable then before and a chance to continue their career's with the same relative senority they had before this transaction. In some cases better senority, ie..top 540 something pilots at the top of the list.

GREED is DEADLY! They were victims of this before and it looks like they will fall victims of this infectious greed once again. This time it may actually bring a union to its knees, or at the very least ruin a company.

I wonder what they have up there sleeves for the next act while standing in the unemployment line? You would think that the majority of them would pipe up and put a stop to this madness.

YGB-F-SM...greed? These guys aren't greedy. Their worn down, tired of having MORE than their fair share of being ******************** on by the industry and don't give a flying f$#K anymore. It's got nothing to do with greed. I think they would rather be in the unemployment line than to be the Kidney donors that solve AWA's life long FUBAR Regional Airline dogma on the backs of US pilots who are going to (let's call a spade a spade here...) get screwed once again by it.

I think they figure this: "Hell what is there to loose that I haven't already lost?"

 

[radarlove]

Actually, it sounds good (based on my nineth or tenth grade grammer level). This is how leaders need to communicate. No BS and to the point. Not saying that I agree or disagree with the arbitration. But, it sounds fairly accurate without all the politically correct fluff. This guy needs to work for that Big Balls Airline.

Generally, one learns to spell "grammar" by tenth grade.

 

[Green]

I think they figure this: "Hell what is there to loose that I haven't already lost?"

how about their job for starters...Bet it's not too easy for a 55 year old airline pilot to find another job outside of aviation paying 140k in the Charlotte area...

 

[vtwin]

Why is there a AAA lawsuit?

Gotta just love these AWA U-TURN GUYS, here is a reason why, a message from them:

The entire article is below but note the mindset:

"And without a single contract, the Nicolau Award cannot be implemented. This could buy the East as much as three years of separate operations and arguably 900 upgrades (notwithstanding a change to Age 60)."



Well, there you have it. The "unofficial" U-Turn acknowledgement that they wish to inherit at least 900 upgrades that belong to the east pilots, BUT can't get their hands on them without Nicolau. And they can say that Nicolau was a windfall for the East?
____________________________________
THE ENTIRE ARTICLE:

From: "U-Turn" <[email protected] >
Subj: U-Turn: East Negotiating Parity Rates
Date: Tue Jul 3, 2007 22:47

[Now that ALPA President Prater has summoned both MECs to D.C. to hammer out a deal, we at U-Turn have to ask the obvious question: who's got the leverage? While the West MEC was huffing and puffing and threatening to blow the house down, while Ray "Boom-Boom" Burkett was ticking off the Herndon Head Shed with delusions of removing Captain Prater, the East has been quietly working a wage package with the company right under our noses.
The East hasn't exactly been sneaking around in the shadows. It's all been out there for anyone who was willing to read the tea leaves and listen to their Code-A-Phone messages. And once again, you are reading it first on U-TURN!]
U-Turn will not comment on who approached whom or why (although we do have some of the details), but it is apparent that the East MEC Chairman and Mr. Parker have been in discussions outside of JNC in an effort to work out details for an amendment to their current contract, AKA LOA 93. The East is asking for wage parity (the actual rates are quoted at the bottom of this email).
Why pay parity and why now? Pay parity goes a long way toward eliminating the "B" Scale that the East is working under. And today's wage parity could be the harbinger for tomorrow's vacation and work rules parity. Yesterday's East Code-A-Phone hints that the East has been negotiating directly with the company outside of the JNC to reach an agreement:
This is Arnie Gentile with a US Airways MEC update for Monday, July 2nd…Last week on Thursday afternoon, the US Airways pilot's Negotiating Committee fulfilled resolution 07-63a- pay parity and sent proposed pay rates over to management. We expect a response from management shortly. In any case, the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) is planning to meet with management next Tuesday and Wednesday, July 10th and 11th.
Our methodology in developing this proposal involved capturing the Narrowbody Top of Scale (TOS) Captain rate of 141.85 at AWA and inserting that rate as the TOS for a Group 2 AAA Captain. From that cornerstone rate of 141.85 we developed the rest of the rate proposal maintaining the current contractual differentials that exist in the AAA contract today----i.e. Group 2 to Group 1, Captain to First Officer, etc. The proposed pay rate schedule will be posted in What's New and emailed to all pilots.
The "Equal pay for Equal Work" parity resolution is as follows:
AI 07-63a - Pay Parity
WHEREAS the AAA pilots have been in fruitless contract negotiations with US Airways management to achieve a new joint contract with the AWA pilots for nearly two years, and
WHEREAS management employees have been granted pay parity with their AWA counterparts, and
WHEREAS this pay parity has resulted in pay raises for the affected management employees, and
WHEREAS the AAA pilots have not been included in a similar pay parity process,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the AAA MEC demands immediate pay increases in order to obtain parity with the higher AWA pilot pay rate, and
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Strike Preparedness Committee is reactivated to support all activities to achieve equal pay for equal work for the AAA pilots, and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the AAA Negotiating Committee immediately engage the company in discussions to achieve pay parity for the AAA pilots with commensurate percentage increases for all AAA pilots preserving current pay rate differentials.
Passes Unanimously
Based on their willingness to negotiate with the company on this parity issue, it is apparent that East is willing to work under LOA 93 until their contract becomes amendable in late 2009. And without a single contract, the Nicolau Award cannot be implemented. This could buy the East as much as three years of separate operations and arguably 900 upgrades (notwithstanding a change to Age 60).
For them it's an immediate 13% raise, plus a dramatic increase in the E190 rates. For us? More of the current contract. Because without their cooperation, there will be no single contract generated by the JNC process. And without a single contract, no implementation of the Nicolau Award.
Anyone who doubts whether the East hasn't been telegraphing this parity and "equal pay for equal work" message needs to go towww.usairwayspilo ts.org/ and read through their Code-A-Phone messages for the past two months.The message has been there. But our MEC has been unwilling to heed the warnings.
So for all the bellicose Hotlines, all the ranting and raving, all the lines drawn in the sand, what do we have to show for it? Another three years of C-2004 and no implementation of the Nicolau Award. But our MEC sure showed them, didn't it?
The Mighty U-Turn