Alaska Arbitration

[mach none]

To give you poolies a little bit of info...

The arbitrator submitted five questions to the company and to ALPA recently. Basically it boiled down to,

"What would your proposal look like if Southwest wasn't considered?"

"What would your proposal look like if United and USAir weren't considered?"

"What would your proposal look like if Southwest, United, and USAir weren't considered?"

The questions didn't cover any proposed work rule changes, which I think would have a big affect on hiring. He's probably already decided those issues, and I don't expect him to tweak them too much, which would mean lots of hiring. In fact, the company has already stated that they need to cut block hours way back this summer. Horizon has been asked to acquire an additional Q400 to fly SEA-BOI and SEA-RNO in May.
I think there are different factions in management. Some have been screaming for more pilots for the last year, and others who view the pilots with great contempt (and have said so) have decided that it is better to shrink the airline than to admit they were wrong not to hire. Unfortunately, Bruce Kennedy is in the latter camp and it is him, not Bill Ayer, who runs the company.

You nailed it bro. Kennedy runs this show. Ayer is becoming weaker by the day in my eyes.

 

[lumax]

Is the arbitrator going to keep us hanging until midnight or what?

 

[alaskaplt]

Is the arbitrator going to keep us hanging until midnight or what?

Looks like it. Drivin me nuts.

 

[ACAFool]

Is the arbitrator going to keep us hanging until midnight or what?

Is it the arbitrator making you wait, or does the union already have it and are working on sending it out.

 

[3d homer]

It's out! Any details beyond the PR newswire story?

 

[tomdav]

pay cuts

26% cuts. more at http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050430/nysa012.html?.v=6

 

[SirFlyALot]

Alaska Airlines Receives Arbitrator's Decision
Saturday April 30, 10:08 pm ET


SEATTLE, April 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- An arbitrator notified Alaska Airlines today of his decisions on the major terms of a new contract between the airline and its Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) bargaining unit.
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The decisions of the arbitrator, Richard Kasher, cover all 1,465 pilots employed by Alaska Airlines. The new contract becomes effective May 1.

The existing contract between the airline and the union called for an arbitrator, mutually agreed upon, to resolve differences if the parties were unable to reach agreement. ALPA and Alaska Airlines began contract talks in October 2003. The arbitrator was called in to help craft a settlement when an agreement could not be reached by a December 15, 2004, deadline.

While wage provisions go into effect tomorrow, full implementation of all provisions is expected to occur over several weeks. The contract becomes amendable in two years.

The terms of the agreement, set by the arbitrator, were based on information presented by both the airline and ALPA. They include an approximate 26 percent reduction in pilot wages, various work rule changes resulting in productivity improvements and higher employee health care contributions. No changes were made to the pilots' pension or profit sharing plans.

"We are grateful to the arbitrator for helping us reach a resolution," said Dennis Hamel, Alaska's vice president of employee services. "This allows us to move forward with a competitive wage and benefit package for our pilots and helps us achieve a better cost alignment with other major carriers."

Alaska Airlines, the nation's ninth largest carrier, serves more than 50 cities in Alaska, the Lower 48, Canada and Mexico.

 

[SirFlyALot]

New pay rates based on 26% pay cut

YR........CA........FO
12......145.78...102.86
11......145.04...102.12
10......143.56...101.38
9........142.82....99.16
8........142.08....96.94
7........141.34....94.72
6........140.60....92.50
5........139.86....88.80
4........138.38....87.32
3........137.64....82.14
2........136.90....67.34
1........136.16....38.48

 

[Mach92]

New pay rates based on 26% pay cut

YR........CA........FO
12......145.78...102.86
11......145.04...102.12
10......143.56...101.38
9........142.82....99.16
8........142.08....96.94
7........141.34....94.72
6........140.60....92.50
5........139.86....88.80
4........145.78....87.32
3........137.64....82.14
2........136.90....67.34
1........136.16....38.48

Well that SUCKS!

 

[Paul R. Smith]

Sorry to hear that.

I guess it pays to be a great company.???