Relic01
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[font=verdana, arial, helvetica]America West pilots want planned E-190 operations
Mary Kirby, Philadelphia (02Aug05, 17:21 GMT, 467 words)
An expected plan by America West Airlines and US Airways to contract a regional operator to fly up to 25 Embraer 190s once the two airlines merge faces opposition from the low-cost carrier’s pilots union, which says it expects to “retain that flying” for mainline pilots.
The America West unit of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) tells ATI the union is maintaining that any Embraer aircraft in the “E-190 and above” size range and any Bombardier aircraft in the “CSeries and above” range (effectively between 90 and 130 seats) fall within current scope clauses, and should only be operated by mainline employees.
E-190 flying is not permitted under America West’s current pilot contract. In contrast, US Airways affiliate carriers can fly up to 25 E-190s “under certain provisions” contained in the latest collective bargaining agreement between the major and its pilots, a spokesman with the US Airways unit of ALPA says.
“This is where the language in both contracts” differ, he says, adding that the issue “will involve some working out”.
Transition plan talks between America West pilots and management are scheduled for August 9 and 15. At that time, negotiators for the low-cost carrier’s pilot group will make clear that E-190 flying is “a huge issue for us and I think that given the state of the industry and the number of furloughs, we want to protect those jobs”, says a spokesman with the America West unit of ALPA.
He notes that that the union is “willing to discuss competitive pay rates with the company” for E-190 flying.
“Our immediate concern is working on a transition plan that will solve these major issues to close the [merger] deal,” he adds.
ATI yesterday exclusively revealed that America West and US Airways are issuing a formal request for proposal (RFP) for a regional carrier to operate up to 25 E-190s for the carriers when they eventually merge.
An America West spokesman confirmed that an “early stage RFP” has been circulated to Air Wisconsin, Mesa Air Group, and Republic Airways Holdings.
It is understood that Republic has already asked its pilots’ union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 747, to quickly amend the current collective bargaining agreement to allow the regional airline group to operate the E-190 under the parameters of US Airways’ jets-for-jobs program.
Mesa currently operates Bombardier CRJ900s for America West. But America West ALPA says the CRJ900 flying “was negotiated to a certain limit and amount”, and that the union is not willing to make the same concessions for the E-190.
“We don’t want to see anything that violates [America West pilots’] contract,” says US Airways ALPA. “That is why we’re trying to work out some of these areas. We expect the new management to respect those differences and to work with those union groups.”
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news[/font]
Mary Kirby, Philadelphia (02Aug05, 17:21 GMT, 467 words)
An expected plan by America West Airlines and US Airways to contract a regional operator to fly up to 25 Embraer 190s once the two airlines merge faces opposition from the low-cost carrier’s pilots union, which says it expects to “retain that flying” for mainline pilots.
The America West unit of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) tells ATI the union is maintaining that any Embraer aircraft in the “E-190 and above” size range and any Bombardier aircraft in the “CSeries and above” range (effectively between 90 and 130 seats) fall within current scope clauses, and should only be operated by mainline employees.
E-190 flying is not permitted under America West’s current pilot contract. In contrast, US Airways affiliate carriers can fly up to 25 E-190s “under certain provisions” contained in the latest collective bargaining agreement between the major and its pilots, a spokesman with the US Airways unit of ALPA says.
“This is where the language in both contracts” differ, he says, adding that the issue “will involve some working out”.
Transition plan talks between America West pilots and management are scheduled for August 9 and 15. At that time, negotiators for the low-cost carrier’s pilot group will make clear that E-190 flying is “a huge issue for us and I think that given the state of the industry and the number of furloughs, we want to protect those jobs”, says a spokesman with the America West unit of ALPA.
He notes that that the union is “willing to discuss competitive pay rates with the company” for E-190 flying.
“Our immediate concern is working on a transition plan that will solve these major issues to close the [merger] deal,” he adds.
ATI yesterday exclusively revealed that America West and US Airways are issuing a formal request for proposal (RFP) for a regional carrier to operate up to 25 E-190s for the carriers when they eventually merge.
An America West spokesman confirmed that an “early stage RFP” has been circulated to Air Wisconsin, Mesa Air Group, and Republic Airways Holdings.
It is understood that Republic has already asked its pilots’ union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 747, to quickly amend the current collective bargaining agreement to allow the regional airline group to operate the E-190 under the parameters of US Airways’ jets-for-jobs program.
Mesa currently operates Bombardier CRJ900s for America West. But America West ALPA says the CRJ900 flying “was negotiated to a certain limit and amount”, and that the union is not willing to make the same concessions for the E-190.
“We don’t want to see anything that violates [America West pilots’] contract,” says US Airways ALPA. “That is why we’re trying to work out some of these areas. We expect the new management to respect those differences and to work with those union groups.”
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news[/font]
