These excerpts are from a sworn statement from a senior CMR MEC Officer.
"Based on my experience as Comair MEC Chair and my oversight as a member of ALPA’s Executive Council, ALPA does not discriminate against pilots at smaller carriers or Comair in particular."
"It has been my observation and experience that all ALPA pilot groups, regardless of size or the type of aircraft that they fly, receive the full support of the Association whenever they need it."
"Because Delta’s plans for DCI consistently called for growth, in the
immediate aftermath of the events of September 11, 2001, no Comair pilots were furloughed, while more than 1,500 Delta pilots were furloughed. Although a relatively small number of Comair pilots were furloughed shortly after Delta and Comair filed for bankruptcy in 2005, no Comair or ASA pilots are currently furloughed today, while Delta pilots remain on furlough.
Delta pilots did lose a significant portion of their flying after the events of September 11, but Comair and ASA pilots did not. Instead, Comair and ASA pilots received upgrade and advancement opportunities as new and larger (70-seat) small jet aircraft were introduced to their fleets by Delta during this period."
"No one from my MEC expressed the view that I should take Captain Ford’s concerns to the Executive Council or any other higher ALPA governing body, nor did I believe such steps should be taken. I held that view because the scope provisions that were negotiated did not take away our work (rather, they allowed Delta to continue to grow its DCI operations) and that the provisions were successively liberalized over time."
"Additionally, I viewed the provisions as striking a balance between the interests of the Delta pilots (in securing their work) and pilots at Delta Connection carriers in continuing to experience growth and better work opportunities. In each and every case concerning the correspondence identified above, I believed that Captain Woerth was handling these issues correctly, and that he properly responded to Captain Ford. To my knowledge, no one serving on the Executive Council expressed any views to the contrary."
"At the conclusion of the most recent round of bargaining between Delta
and its pilots which resulted in LOA 51, I received a letter in my capacity as Comair MEC Chair from Captain Ford dated May 8, 2006, the day before the start of a planned MEC meeting. In that letter, addressed to the Comair MEC, Captain Ford enclosed a letter he had written several days earlier to President Woerth, which asserted that LOA 51 violated ALPA’s Constitution, By-Laws and policies. This letter also submitted a proposed MEC resolution requesting that our MEC seek a formal hearing of Captain Ford’s complaints about LOA 51 before the Executive Council. True and correct copies of this letter and proposed resolution are attached as Exhibit 1 hereto. After review and discussion by our MEC, none of the elected representatives supported Captain Ford’s position."
"Based on my experience as Comair MEC Chair and my oversight as a member of ALPA’s Executive Council, ALPA does not discriminate against pilots at smaller carriers or Comair in particular."
"It has been my observation and experience that all ALPA pilot groups, regardless of size or the type of aircraft that they fly, receive the full support of the Association whenever they need it."
"Because Delta’s plans for DCI consistently called for growth, in the
immediate aftermath of the events of September 11, 2001, no Comair pilots were furloughed, while more than 1,500 Delta pilots were furloughed. Although a relatively small number of Comair pilots were furloughed shortly after Delta and Comair filed for bankruptcy in 2005, no Comair or ASA pilots are currently furloughed today, while Delta pilots remain on furlough.
Delta pilots did lose a significant portion of their flying after the events of September 11, but Comair and ASA pilots did not. Instead, Comair and ASA pilots received upgrade and advancement opportunities as new and larger (70-seat) small jet aircraft were introduced to their fleets by Delta during this period."
"No one from my MEC expressed the view that I should take Captain Ford’s concerns to the Executive Council or any other higher ALPA governing body, nor did I believe such steps should be taken. I held that view because the scope provisions that were negotiated did not take away our work (rather, they allowed Delta to continue to grow its DCI operations) and that the provisions were successively liberalized over time."
"Additionally, I viewed the provisions as striking a balance between the interests of the Delta pilots (in securing their work) and pilots at Delta Connection carriers in continuing to experience growth and better work opportunities. In each and every case concerning the correspondence identified above, I believed that Captain Woerth was handling these issues correctly, and that he properly responded to Captain Ford. To my knowledge, no one serving on the Executive Council expressed any views to the contrary."
"At the conclusion of the most recent round of bargaining between Delta
and its pilots which resulted in LOA 51, I received a letter in my capacity as Comair MEC Chair from Captain Ford dated May 8, 2006, the day before the start of a planned MEC meeting. In that letter, addressed to the Comair MEC, Captain Ford enclosed a letter he had written several days earlier to President Woerth, which asserted that LOA 51 violated ALPA’s Constitution, By-Laws and policies. This letter also submitted a proposed MEC resolution requesting that our MEC seek a formal hearing of Captain Ford’s complaints about LOA 51 before the Executive Council. True and correct copies of this letter and proposed resolution are attached as Exhibit 1 hereto. After review and discussion by our MEC, none of the elected representatives supported Captain Ford’s position."
