Dear Duane Woerth from Allegheny MEC

[dondk]

.02

While this comment is getting slightly away from the orginal issue...

ALPA leaders are who? The Majority are from the Majors.

They are ALL on the top of the food chain in salary and senority.

Is this not a conflict of inteterst? I cannot see why (regardless of any UNION) our ALPA leaders would want to "lower" thier standards which they have fought for.

I stand behind Allegheny and thier initatives. IT took Comair to stand up to raise the standards for the rest of us, now hopefully Allegheny will help in raising that bar.

Regionals in general will have more aircraft then the majors will have in the next 5 or so years, then what? One day we may be recognized but at what cost?

 

[lear24]

dondk - thanks for your support, we're likely facing some hard times. Either a mainline furloughee is going to flow down (nevermind that they wanted nothing to do with a flow through program for years!) and take our jobs, or they'll let us fade away to a minimal amount of airplanes. Whichever happens, many of us are hosed.

It is disgusting to me that Woerth can justify creating two classes of airline pilots, when it goes against everything ALPA was started upon. Is a mainline guy more important than me? Is it okay for him to just force himself into my company and tell me to take a hike? He counters our objections by saying mainline is taking such a massive cut. We should be so lucky to be able to take part in this beautiful Jets for Jobs arrangement, and that mainline has finally decided to let the choke hold that it has had on US Airways group loose. Anyway, less of a raise is not a massive cut. Where can we draw a moral line, can Allegheny guys now go tell flight instructors and charter pilots to pack their bags, we're taking over and flowing back?

Tell your friends and coworkers. ALPA is not representing Allegheny Airlines pilots' interests or protecting our jobs. They are allowing us to suffer to feed the mainline guys who led themselves into trouble.

 

[Pileit]

The net effect is not an increase in available "wealth", but a lopsided distribution of that wealth.

You are so right. Disparity in pay/compensation is the cancer of this industry. ALPA is the one to lead us out of the wilderness, but so far they are no where to be found.

 

[Tim47SIP]

That is because they are hiding behined that big tree over there in the wilderness!

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Just a small point

Just a small point I would like to make.

You said, "Either a mainline furloughee is going to flow down (nevermind that they wanted nothing to do with a flow through program for years!)

I want to clarify the word "they". As a reminder every single one of the 1070 furloughed pilots from US Airways were hired after 1999. During the short time that they were on the property there were SEVERAL attempts made by that group to pursuade the MEC to pursue a flowthrough and keep additional RJ flying within group.

The vast majority of these men and women were at the regionals just 4 years ago -- they didnt forget, and they fought for you -- for all of us -- while they were there.

Your anger is understandable, but lets lay blame where it is deserved: at US Airways' ALPA leadership.

Fraternally,
Furloughed Mainline Guy
Current (but soon to be furloughed again) Wholly-Owned Guy

 

[surplus1]

Re: Just a small point

Just a small point I would like to make.

I want to clarify the word "they". As a reminder every single one of the 1070 furloughed pilots from US Airways were hired after 1999. During the short time that they were on the property there were SEVERAL attempts made by that group to pursuade the MEC to pursue a flowthrough and keep additional RJ flying within group.

The vast majority of these men and women were at the regionals just 4 years ago -- they didnt forget, and they fought for you -- for all of us -- while they were there.

Your anger is understandable, but lets lay blame where it is deserved: at US Airways' ALPA leadership.

Fraternally,
Furloughed Mainline Guy
Current (but soon to be furloughed again) Wholly-Owned Guy

Congratulations, sir. My hat's off to you. It took courage to say what you just did in a public forum, given your status as a USAirways pilot (furloughed or not). I admire men of principle.

I think however, that you omitted the principal culprit. Yes, the USAirways MEC is culpable but more importantly, the National union is responsible!

The USAirways MEC is not responsible to look after the welfare of pilots who are not on the USAirways seniority list. However, the UMEC is NOT and independent entity, it is a "unit" of the ALPA, International.

No agreement between the UMEC and anyone else can become a legally binding and enforceable contract, without the explicit consent of ALPA, Intenational as demonstrated by the signature of its President. ALPA and ALPA alone is the recognized bargaining agent and therefore, bares full legal responsibility for the actions of the UMEC in this matter.

The lack of leadership being demonstrated by the International union in this crisis is apalling. If the UMEC's TA is signed into a contract by the ALPA President, the repercussions will be heard far beyond the property of USAirways.

The pilots of USAirGroup's regional subsidiaries are not alone. I support them fully in the struggle for fair representation of their interests and I know that I am not alone either.

Like the Minutemen of yesterday they face a superior force and are out gunned on every quarter. However, thanks to the fortitude of those Minutemen, this country is a Republic and governed by law. The ALPA, International must either adhere to that law and honor its Duty of Fair Representation or be forced to do so by the courts. ALG/PDT and PSA pilots should stand together and fight for their rights. If ALPA will not voluntarily support them, then they must seek redress in the courts forthwith.

Regards,
Surplus1
CMR

 

[publisher]

boards

You certainly do not have to read these boards very long to understand that ALPA cannot represent all parties equally.

In many cases, ALPA has become the big business that they claim to be at odds with.

In any case where leadership is elected by the majority, there will be an under-served minority. This holds true nationally and at the MEC and contract level.

In the end artificial constraints are severely pressed to work in a declining situation, only in a growth situation. Why, the people forced into situations by the constrraints are not done so by the factors that should control but artificial ones. This leads to resentment.

The disparity of pay in the industry is systemic. As example, if a big airplane was much harder to fly than a small one, one should logically be paid more to fly it. Most of us know that is not the case. We also hold to the notion that pay should always raise over time. A good many people have found that not to be true.

Let this time be remembered downstream so as not to repeat it.

 

[canadflyau]

Your about to enter, the SPIN zone

News Release

Release #02.70
August 5, 2002

PREPARED STATEMENT:
Allegheny Airlines Pilots Informational Picketing of ALPA

The Air Line Pilots Association represents 66,000 airline pilots at 43 airlines in the U.S. and Canada. The needs of pilots at each of these airlines will vary because of differences in markets, route structure, and financial condition. Therefore, within certain limits spelled out in its Constitution and By-Laws, ALPA gives each pilot group a great amount of latitude and autonomy in negotiating its own collective bargaining agreements.

ALPA respects the right of each pilot group to negotiate the best appropriate terms it can achieve with its employer. The union provides each pilot group with significant support in terms of money and staff resources toward reaching its negotiating goals. Such support is provided equitably and without favoritism.

Regarding the specific case of Allegheny and US Airways, because of market conditions and the post-9/11 fall-out, the US Airways pilots are considering measures to provide significant relief, including $465 million per year for 6-1/2 years (a one-third cut in unit operating costs), elimination of a no-furlough clause, reductions in the fleet of large airliners, and an increase in the ratio of small jets (SJs) in the fleet. The purpose of these concessions is to allow the airline to go forward with securing a government loan guarantee, without which neither US Airways nor its wholly owned express carriers, including Allegheny, have much prospect of surviving.

Furthermore, Allegheny pilots would have the option of participating in a process that would open up significant career and flying opportunities for them. The two other wholly owned express carriers, Piedmont and PSA, have agreed to participate.

Allegations that allowing US Air to start a new airline to operate a portion of the new SJs would violate ALPA’s "alter ego airline" policy are wrong, since that policy only applies to non-union carriers. The new MidAtlantic Airways would be operated under terms collectively bargained by ALPA. Pilots at the express carriers also would be given "flow-through" rights allowing them to move up to jobs at both the new airline and US Airways.

In summary, the US Airways agreement not only provides economic concessions necessary for all pilots in the US Airways Group to maintain job security, but also provides an equitable sharing of flying and career opportunities to express pilots that do not currently exist and probably would not exist without the agreement.

# # #

ALPA CONTACT: John Mazor (703) 481-4440

 

[canadflyau]

pick up the phone and call

ALPA CONTACT: John Mazor (703) 481-4440

If they give a number, then we should call and express are disgust with the extortion of J4J and the unfair treatment of Regional pilots aka "the non-preferred pilot group."

I could type for hours about the mountains of half truths and false statements in the ALPA press release... No mention that they, ALG, have pilots already on furlough (me) whom they will be replacing.. How about the history of, when times are good NO FLOW THROUGH, now times are bad the say WE WANT FLOW THROUGH. When times are bad JUST KEEP DOING YOUR MEASLY REGIONAL FLYING AND BE QUIET, when times are bad GIVE US CONCESSIONS..

ALPA NATIONAL and U MAINLINE MEC... THIS IS RIDICULOUS

by the way... when did PDT sign on and agree to J4J?

 

[dondk]

From the local Pittsburgh paper...

http://www.post-gazette.com/businessnews/20020806usair0806bnp2.asp

from canadflyau post...

Furthermore, Allegheny pilots would have the option of participating in a process that would open up significant career and flying opportunities for them. The two other wholly owned express carriers, Piedmont and PSA, have agreed to participate.

So... after all of Mid Atlantic positions are filled AND 1/2 of the positions at each of the WO's by furloughed mainline guys. The WO's will get "significant" career and flying opportunities? Is that because THOSE still left will be the ONLY one's left? I guess it is significant IF they still have a job!

I still support Allegheny, I have no clue why PDT would sign on to this crap.

canadflyau.... I use to work for PDT a while back.. As I remember back then, mainline WHEN they were interviewing rarely took a WO guy. I don't know how many WO guys got onboard with Mainline. My friend was turned down as mainline did not want to take WO's guys as it caused a financial burden on the WO's (at least that was the excuse, but who knows)