Continental pilots win case over small-jet flights

[ArcticFlier]

So what? So the new United will just change the name and not use "Continental" on regional flights......which is what they were planning on anyway. It sucks, but business as usual.

Sounds like that is exactly what is going to happen, unless CALPA can put a (temporary) stop to it until something more permanent will come down the 'pike.

AF

 

[Skaff]

Don't shoot the messanger... This is from Skywest's home page.


IAH Flying Update Jan. 3, 2011
IAH Flying Update 1.3.2011
As you’re aware, an arbitrator’s Dec. 30 ruling placed certain marketing restrictions on the IAH flying we will begin for United this week. Our IAH United Express operation will begin as planned tomorrow, Jan. 4, operating under the UA code and utilizing the CO SHARES program to accommodate customers in compliance with the ruling.

FAQ’s
How will this affect SkyWest?
The ruling affects the marketing of SkyWest-operated IAH flights. Most SkyWest-operated United Express flights with the CO code to and from IAH for Jan. 4 start-up will now be identified and sold solely as United flights.

What will happen with our IAH flights on January 4th?
These flights will continue as scheduled. However, during a transitional period, they will operate in SHARES (CO reservation system) as United flights. Since it is in SHARES, ground and gate handling can continue to be provided by Continental employees or a third-party ground handler.

What is SHARES?
SHARES is the CO reservation system, which will allow CO gate employees to accommodate customers on our United Express flights in IAH.

Will customers know about the change?
United is reaching out to all customers for whom they have email addresses. However, boarding passes for customers may print with the CO flight number. As a result, we expect that for a transitional period the former Continental flight number and the new United flight number will alternate for these flights on airport information screens.

Will our onboard announcements or service change?
No. Flight attendants and flight crewmembers will utilize the current script and procedures outlined in the latest TR in your manuals.

Is the IAH flight information available in both SHARES and Apollo?
Yes, as was initially planned. Following a transitional period, the flights will be hosted in United’s Apollo system. United will be providing Apollo training and IT support in advance of the change.

What changes will there be for the IAH gates operating these flights?
First, United is ensuring these flights are identified as United at departure and arrival gates using United signage. Second, stations will continue to facilitate customer check-in. Starting immediately, these flights are no longer being sold as Continental flights and will be available as United flights. However, customers will continue to check in with CO. Thus, CO agents and online check-in applications will use the underlying CO flight number for check-in customers. All customers on these flights are subject to Continental’s policies for a transitional period.

Do these steps comply with the arbitrator’s ruling?
Yes. We continue working closely with United as they complete the UA/CO integration and merge, and we will continue to ensure our crewmembers remain in a solid situation that does not compromise you as industry professionals.

How can we expect the latest information and updates regarding the IAH flying?
We will continue to keep you informed of the most current information via SkyWest Online.

 

[densoo]

Nice article. A bit over the top perhaps, but reality doesn't matter, the perception of it does. These types of analyses popping up everywhere make the public think management has lost control and make the BOD and shareholders nervous. The impact on its publicity machine and investment effort may be small, but it will be noticeable. Too bad that they chose to go this route. It didn't have to be this way.

Here are outtakes from the article:

-- "the pilots gained some additional leverage"
-- "force the airline to deal directly with the pilots"
-- "new United management thought it could be clever"
-- "apparently thought that it could just go around the rules"
-- "that door has been shut"
-- "arbitrator did not mince words: ordered to cease and desist"
-- "company now has to scramble to undo the schedule"
-- "that hurts their viability tremendously"
-- "United is going to have to negotiate the right to outsource"
-- "done nothing but damage the relationship with the pilots"
-- "United gambled and lost"
-- "the pilots are now emboldened by the arbitration ruling"
-- "it’s going to be a tough road, to say the least"

Continental-United Merger: How the Airline Emboldened Its Pilots

Integration of the newly merged Continental and United (UAL) is well underway, but pilot integration is just getting started. This past week, the pilots gained some additional leverage thanks to an arbitrator’s decision that Continental had violated the pilots’ contract with some recent scheduling moves. That’s going to force the airline to deal directly with the pilots instead of going around them on the all-important issue of outsourcing.

In this merger, both pilot groups are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), but the individual groups have very different work rules. From the company’s perspective, the biggest issue involves the use of outsourced pilots to fly particular routes. The pre-merger United pilots had a very liberal rule on that, and management took full advantage by contracting out an army of sub-70 seat airplanes to fly routes that United pilots used to fly. On the Continental side, the pilots have strict rules that don’t allow any jets with more than 50 seats to be outsourced. That 70-seat category has become the battleground.

The new United management started moving airplanes around and thought it could be clever by flying airplanes outsourced by United in and out of Continental hubs. Since it flew them as United and not Continental, the airline argued that it was within its rights. But the fact that the flights were sold as both United and Continental flights had the pilots crying foul.
The case went to arbitration and the pilots came out victorious. The arbitrator did not mince words:

Placing the [Continental] designator code on the [United Express] jet aircraft with a certification of fifty-one or greater seats to and from [Continental hubs] is a violation of Section 1 of the Continental/ALPA collective bargaining agreement. The Company is ordered to cease and desist advertising and placing the [Continental] code on such flights.

The company now has to scramble to undo the schedule that it has built using those airplanes and it has to go back to the table to work more closely with the pilots. It apparently thought that it could just go around the rules that were negotiated with the Continental pilots, but that door has been shut.

The company can still technically fly the flights under the United name, but it can’t sell them as Continental, and that hurts their viability tremendously. So now, United is going to have to negotiate the right to outsource airplanes with the Continental pilots.

You would think that the spirit of the rules would have been enough for the new United management. Even if United had found a loophole that would have technically allowed it to fly the flights, that effort has done nothing but damage the relationship with the pilots during a time when you would think the airline would want to build the relationship up.

So United gambled and lost, damaging its relationship with the pilots. At the same time, the pilots are now emboldened by the arbitration ruling. Management is going to have to accept this loss and now work to mend fences if it hopes to develop any kind of good working relationship. If not, it’s going to be a tough road, to say the least, toward outsourcing 70 seat airplanes.

http://www.bnet.com/blog/airline-bu...er-how-the-airline-emboldened-its-pilots/3125

 

[Super Monkey]

Don't shoot the messanger... This is from Skywest's home page.


IAH Flying Update Jan. 3, 2011
IAH Flying Update 1.3.2011
As you’re aware, an arbitrator’s Dec. 30 ruling placed certain marketing restrictions on the IAH flying we will begin for United this week. Our IAH United Express operation will begin as planned tomorrow, Jan. 4, operating under the UA code and utilizing the CO SHARES program to accommodate customers in compliance with the ruling.

FAQ’s
How will this affect SkyWest?
The ruling affects the marketing of SkyWest-operated IAH flights. Most SkyWest-operated United Express flights with the CO code to and from IAH for Jan. 4 start-up will now be identified and sold solely as United flights.

What will happen with our IAH flights on January 4th?
These flights will continue as scheduled. However, during a transitional period, they will operate in SHARES (CO reservation system) as United flights. Since it is in SHARES, ground and gate handling can continue to be provided by Continental employees or a third-party ground handler.

What is SHARES?
SHARES is the CO reservation system, which will allow CO gate employees to accommodate customers on our United Express flights in IAH.

Will customers know about the change?
United is reaching out to all customers for whom they have email addresses. However, boarding passes for customers may print with the CO flight number. As a result, we expect that for a transitional period the former Continental flight number and the new United flight number will alternate for these flights on airport information screens.

Will our onboard announcements or service change?
No. Flight attendants and flight crewmembers will utilize the current script and procedures outlined in the latest TR in your manuals.

Is the IAH flight information available in both SHARES and Apollo?
Yes, as was initially planned. Following a transitional period, the flights will be hosted in United’s Apollo system. United will be providing Apollo training and IT support in advance of the change.

What changes will there be for the IAH gates operating these flights?
First, United is ensuring these flights are identified as United at departure and arrival gates using United signage. Second, stations will continue to facilitate customer check-in. Starting immediately, these flights are no longer being sold as Continental flights and will be available as United flights. However, customers will continue to check in with CO. Thus, CO agents and online check-in applications will use the underlying CO flight number for check-in customers. All customers on these flights are subject to Continental’s policies for a transitional period.

Do these steps comply with the arbitrator’s ruling?
Yes. We continue working closely with United as they complete the UA/CO integration and merge, and we will continue to ensure our crewmembers remain in a solid situation that does not compromise you as industry professionals.

How can we expect the latest information and updates regarding the IAH flying?
We will continue to keep you informed of the most current information via SkyWest Online.

I really miss working for SkyWest at times. Not necessarily for the pay, although I'm 4th year pay here at CAL and haven't even made what I made at SkyW at 5 year pay, but for their honesty and open communication.

On the other hand, the CAL pilots may have won the battle but not the war. Keep fighting brethren!!!

 

[whymeworry?]

I think management is sowing the seeds of a strike or legal job action down the road. This will only lean the NMB to release ALPA sooner than later. The pilots are unified on this, from young to old. And the UAL guys are 10x more militant after what they've been through over the past 10 yrs. They learned the hard way on outsourcing and they won't be fooled twice. They are going to be the real Achilles heal for the new management team, more so that the CAL pilots. But the CAL pilots are pretty pissed nonetheless.

What a waste of energy. Smisek is losing focus on the real enemy, the competition, and instead stirring the hornets nest with skilled labor. This guy is so disconnected from reality its almost breathtaking.

This is reckless mismanagement on the part of the exec team. You can't build a global business in today's world by always waring with your best employees.

 

[OHGOON]

. Smisek is losing focus on the real enemy, the competition, and instead stirring the hornets nest with skilled labor. This guy is so disconnected from reality its almost breathtaking.

This is reckless mismanagement on the part of the exec team. You can't build a global business in today's world by always waring with your best employees.

Congratulations to the pilots on finally winning something no matter how small the initial impact. This will have repercussions down the line!

Sad reality is that most big businesses are run by arrogance and hubris bred into the individuals involved ever since their prep school days. They are not really interested in building anything, all they are out for is to preserve their privileged position in life at any cost. It's about their egos, bonuses and golden parachutes not the health and growth of the companies they happen to be associated with for the moment. The sooner the rest of us realize this once and for all the less we will be willing to cut our own throats for empty future promises.

 

[densoo]

Houston Chronicle article today. Here are some takeaway quotes. The pilots are getting some traction on this. This kind of publicity is never welcome to a company, especially in their hometown paper.

-- [scope] is a problem facing United Airlines as it tries to integrate Continental
-- the root of some of the most contentious labor battles in the history of U.S. airlines
-- a significant problem as United attempts to combine its workforce
-- negotiations aren't exactly going swimmingly
-- Continental pilots...are unlikely to yield
-- [an American pilot] sickout [over scope] led to the cancellation of more than 6,600 flights and losses of $200 million
-- it clearly has become an impediment to merging the two pilot groups
-- it could keep [the merger] from being as successful as Smisek hopes

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/steffy/7380857.html

 

[zonker]

The best news for UAL/CAL would be to find out that Jeff Lorenzo wrapped his Porsche around a lightpole.