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Joint CMR/ASA MEC Resolution

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jarhead

master of my domain
Joined
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A Joint CMR/ASA MEC Resolution
Merger of ASA and Comair Pilot Groups
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Delta Air Lines, Inc., purchased ASA in April 1999 and Comair in January 2000. Shortly thereafter, Delta Connection, Inc., was formed, and ASA and Comair became the only wholly-owned subsidiaries of that corporate substructure.

The MEC chairmen of the two carriers, Captains Bob Arnold and J.C. Lawson, formally discussed issues of common concern in February 2000. Both MECs have recognized and acknowledged for many years the similarities between the two carriers.

In January 2000, the two MECs met and discussed the concept of consolidating the ASA and Comair seniority lists. In July 2000, ASA and Comair formally filed a petition under Section 45 of ALPA’s Administrative Manual requesting a Policy Implementation Date (PID). The respective MECs have worked diligently, within the ALPA administrative structure, for the protection of all ALPA pilots in an effort to prevent the whipsaw of the three airlines under the Delta corporate structure.

In September and October of 2000, the ASA and Comair MECs presented ALPA’s Executive Board and the Board of Directors with resolutions that resulted in the birth of the Bilateral Scope Impact Committee (BSIC), an ALPA National committee. The BSIC charter is to investigate and identify policies and procedures within ALPA, including but not limited to scope issues, which may require review, consideration, and possible overhaul. Since its inception, the BSIC has included a member from the wholly-owned subsidiaries. Joint Standing Committees rose from the BSIC and this subcommittee structure provides a platform for ASA, Comair, and Delta to discuss difficult and pertinent issues of mutual concern to the Delta family.

In March 2001, Comair was forced to resort to self-help as outlined in the Railway Labor Act, striking their airline for 89 days. Both ASA and Delta pilots walked picket lines at the ATL, CVG, MCO, and DFW airports to support the Comair pilots’ efforts. Moreover, ASA pilots voted to support Comair by sympathy strike, should circumstances require. At the May 2001 Executive Board, the ASA MEC chairman introduced a resolution in support of the striking Comair pilots, which passed by acclamation.

Fierce loyalty and genuine trade unionism have forged the bonds of unity between the ASA and Comair pilot groups. Acting as one for years, it is now time to integrate ASA and Comair into one pilot group.

PROPOSED RESOLUTION:

WHEREAS the ASA and Comair MECs proactively initiated the exchange of substantive and meaningful dialogue beginning in 1999, and

WHEREAS both ASA and Comair are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Delta Air Lines, Inc., since 2000, and

WHEREAS the formation of Delta Connection, Inc. (DCI), should be an industry-leading, effective, and efficient business model, and

WHEREAS ASA and Comair, within the DCI business model, are profitable and competitive, and

WHEREAS the mission of DCI has morphed into a means of whipsawing those airlines within the DCI “portfolio” to increase Delta’s profits by reducing employees pay and benefits, and

WHEREAS there is little doubt that, in this economically challenging world, substantial cost savings are available from the consolidation of ASA and Comair,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the ASA and Comair MECs are dedicated to the belief that their two MECs should be one; that their two pilot groups should be one; that their two seniority lists should be one; that their two contracts should be one; and that the two companies should be one.

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the ASA and Comair MECs shall jointly pursue this objective, with all due haste, to the maximum extent possible, until we are one, and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ALPA dedicates its full resources to ensure that this objective be achieved.

Comair ASA
 
Comair and ASA MECs Meet with Management

ASA and Comair are asked to merge pilot groups


Fellow Comair and ASA pilots

In recent months, our respective management teams have been looking at ways to cut costs. Some of us have been asked to consider concessions while others have been encouraged to extend their contract by an additional two years. Despite our profitability as independent carriers, we recognize that the Delta organization continues to suffer financial difficulties and struggles to find ways to make all of its components profitable again. However, our two collective bargaining agreements are extremely competitive by today’s industry standards, and we believe that Delta management needs to look at a larger issue that would reduce our organization’s expenditures and make us a more streamlined operation. We believe that the ASA and Comair pilot groups should be merged and that our two airlines be consolidated.

This proposal is not something we take lightly, nor is it a consideration we developed overnight. The two pilot groups have been discussing this issue since the year 2000, when Comair joined ASA as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, Inc. The Comair and ASA operations complement one another because they feed the Delta mainline operation from the organization’s largest hubs. They also cover point-to-point flying in surrounding markets, with limited overlap. In addition, the two airlines continue to grow, leading us to believe that there is plenty of flying to sustain both pilot groups, as they ultimately would become one.

In becoming a single carrier, ASA and Comair could realize economies of scale while eliminating some of its redundancies in its two infrastructures. Numerous ground and management positions could be consolidated and a portion of the cost savings from this action could help fund new scheduling and operational automation, making the newly merged airline even more efficient.

Consolidating our two pilot groups will also limit Delta’s future whipsawing efforts and provide us with a stronger voice with management.

This is not an emotional plea, but a logical business decision that the Delta organization must consider if it is sincere in its desire to limit costs.

Last week, the Comair and ASA MECs met in Atlanta with ALPA representatives from its Representation, Legal, Economic and Financial Analysis, and Communications Departments to consider this proposal, discuss how a merger could be implemented, and pass a resolution setting this plan in motion. Comair and ASA MEC Chairmen, Captains J.C. Lawson and Bob Arnold, then consulted with Delta MEC Chairman, Capt. John Malone, who indicated support for our position. Capt. Malone also stated he intends to bring the consolidation issue to the attention of the Delta MEC at the next opportunity.

This morning, pilot representatives presented this proposal to both ASA and Comair managements. The outcome of these meetings remains to be seen, but we remain hopeful that Delta management will seriously consider this proposal and be open to exploring how it could benefit our organization as a whole.

We are part of a Union because we recognize that we are stronger when we stand united together. In the same way, we are stronger as a single pilot group and a single company. Combining our resources will make us a formidable presence at both the bargaining table and within the industry as a whole.

Fraternally,


The Comair MEC The ASA MEC
 
sounds good to me!!
 
Sounds like the good ol' boys over at the GO would have something to sweat about.

How many pilots has Comair hired in the past year and a half? Just curious where I would fall.
 
Never in a million years. Absolutely ZERO company incentive to do such a thing. Good effort though.

Let me understand this...Comair pilots are being asked to make concessions, and ASA is in contract talks.....uhhh, yeah....lots of leverage at ASA.

How are those negotiations coming along anyway?

American Eagle - Volume II

Three words: Divide and Conquer - it works wonders.
 
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not so fast...LAPD

The ball is back in Mangements court! While they are asking for concessions, what better way to cut cost than to eliminate management redundancy.

Not to mention making "Oz" sweat is somewhat comforting:D
 
If management says no then can you just petition the NMB like the Eaglettes did for single carrier status? I think that the combined ASA/Comair would be a force to reckoned.
 
Point well stated DAL737FO...I think Capt Malone is looking into bringing all into the fold! Whether you agree or disagree, it would eliminate a certain amount of "Whip-sawing" and , IMHO, virtually put an end to furloughs at mainline.
 
DAL737FO said:
If management says no then can you just petition the NMB like the Eaglettes did for single carrier status? I think that the combined ASA/Comair would be a force to reckoned.
True - so why hasn't ALPA done this some time during the last FIVE YEARS ?
 
spinproof said:
Point well stated DAL737FO...I think Capt Malone is looking into bringing all into the fold! Whether you agree or disagree, it would eliminate a certain amount of "Whip-sawing" and , IMHO, virtually put an end to furloughs at mainline.
Not that I don't appreciate any good intentions Capt. Malone might have, but if ASA and Comair are represented properly within ALPA, why does it take Malone to get ALPA to conceede to allowing the Comair and ASA MECs to do something they have wanted for five years!

If we are, as Bill Buergey argued, separate airlines with no operational integration - why is the Delta MEC chiming in supporting us all of a sudden?

What are the particulars of this jets for jobs proposal? You are right, I don't trust the Delta MEC to represent ASA pilots. Here is one road map.
This is Jack Stephan with a US Airways MEC update for Monday, December 8, with three new items.

Item 1. ...Capt. Pollock also reported on MidAtlantic. Because MidAtlantic is part of US Airways, and not a separate entity, it should be more accurately referred to as the Embraer Division of US Airways, Inc. Pilots from the Embraer Division are invited to address the MEC this week and the MEC Chairman is planning to appoint an EMB 170 working group to coordinate with the MEC’s support for their division.

This is Jack Stephan with a US Airways MEC update for Wednesday, December 3, with three new items.

Item 1. Fellow US Airways pilots are now being hired and trained at MidAtlantic. A total of 56 pilots including 34 check airmen and 22 line pilots are now in training in Pittsburgh. The last seniority number for the most junior Captain is currently 3904 and the last seniority number for the most junior First Officer is 4057. Please join your MEC in extending to them a well deserved welcome back. They are US Airways pilots first and foremost, and we look forward to the opportunity of providing them with all the rights and privileges of active membership.

The Operation of MidAtlantic is tentatively scheduled to commence in March 2004 pending final FAA aircraft certification.
 
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DAL737FO said:
If management says no then can you just petition the NMB like the Eaglettes did for single carrier status? I think that the combined ASA/Comair would be a force to reckoned.


Ummm, AMR offered to combine the 5 Eagle carriers for a 16 year concessionary contract (which they signed) because Crandall was dangling jets in front of all 5 of them - "who wants them????" Whip-sawing the 5 pilot groups (sound familiar?). Well, it worked, they bit, and look at them now :rolleyes:

It had nothing to do with petitioning the NMB. They can petition all they want, but Delta, ASA, and Comair can all oppose it and I don't recall any precedent to "make" the company do this.

Now, if ALPA would get off their collective ass, along with the Delta MEC and petition for all 3 carriers to merge due to operational "likeness", then you might have a fight on your hands. As long as Delta pilots aren't involved in this, you can forget it.

There is no closer relationship to mainline pilots and the Z-scale pilots than at CAL/CALEX...hell we are the same MEC for goodness sakes. If there was ANY example of operational "likeness", it would be us. Same uniforms, exact same procedures, same weather rooms at the hubs, same jetways, same paint scheme....350 "mainline" pilots flying E145's around on our seniority list. It is ridiculous not to be one seniority list.

Good luck nonetheless. But mother Delta is in no way going to give up her whip-saw ability to make the wishes of their pilots come true - unless of course you all give up your left-nut and first born! ;)
 
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Over hopefull

I really dont think that we will see anything out of this. Delta will simply say "No Deal" to all and give the aircraft to Skywest, CrappyTaco, or whoever. ASA and Comair will remain in status quo. DALPA will try to manipulate the system to their advantage to force some type of J4J protocal on the WO's but with the aircraft going to contract carriers, they will be the ones to more than likely accept J4J's. Crappy Taco and Skywest (I believe) have already agreed to J4J's with US and United so it is a no brainer for them. There is no way that DALPA will give any capital away to intigrate ASA/Comair as there really is no advantage for them. Even if we were merged and all the aircraft came to the newly formed DCI, only 450 pilots will be hired. There are way more furloughs out there. DALPA is not going to spen one cent for only 450 furloughs because they are to busy saving the profession. I will be very surprised if we even get any type of counter offer. I hope I'm wrong about this. We will see.:rolleyes:
 
DAL737FO said:
If management says no then can you just petition the NMB like the Eaglettes did for single carrier status? I think that the combined ASA/Comair would be a force to reckoned.

I don't know why the misconception of what NMB single carrier status means continues, even though volumes have been written about it.

There is nothing to petition the NMB about. "Single carrier status" does not mean merger or seniority integration. The ONLY thing it means is that the carriers are all represented by the same labor union.

ASA and CMR are already represented by the same union, ALPA, therefore they already have "single carrier status" with each other and also with Delta.

This was done at Eagle because there were 3 different unions representing the "single carrier" group, APA, ALPA and RAPA. The single carrier ruling did nothing other than require an election to determine which union would represent all of them. ALPA won that election.

The merger was accomplished by the negotiated contract, not by the single carrier petition. In exchange for 16 years plus (of nothing) Wings West, Flagship, Simmons and Metro, became Eagle, with one labor union.

This has no application in the ASA/CMR situation.

CAL and COEX have always been represented by the same union. Therefore, whether it was the IACP (past) or ALPA (present) is no change. A single carrier petition would be as irrelevant as it is between ASA/CMR.
 
Regular negotiations resume
Dec. 9, 2003

ASA and ALPA resumed regular
negotiations today after ALPA declined
the company's proposal to negotiate
over a two-year contract extension to
increase the attractiveness of ASA's
bid for future Delta Connection growth.
ALPA responded to the company's
proposal by proposing that Delta and
Delta Connection, Inc., (1) consolidate
ASA and Comair, (2) combine the ASA and
Comair seniority lists, (3) consolidate
the ASA and Comair pilot agreements,
and (4) award all future DCI flying to
a combined ASA/Comair. In a memo issued
to all ASA team members, ASA President
Skip Barnette said, "The ALPA response
did not address ASA's proposal to
extend the current collective
bargaining agreement; instead, it
proposed things that ASA has no
authority to negotiate ... ASA
representatives informed ALPA
representatives that ASA did not have
authority to discuss ALPA's proposal
and the meeting ended." Previously
scheduled negotiations continue through
Friday in Atlanta.
 
Tim47 -

As the post above indicates, you are correct. This was a "poison pill" and also serves the mainline interest in ensuring ASA and Comair would never be in a position to win a vote at the BOD.

As I've posted - this is a strike issue and the clock is ticking. The sooner we can get to self help, the better.

Neither ALPA, or Delta, can afford a strike. They both have a lot more to lose than we do. Lets see who blinks first.

~~~^~~~
 
Fins,

Since when did this become a strike issue? I wasn't aware that this was even a part of our contract negotiations. I don't remember seeing anything about it in the Contract Opener. Did I miss something? Seems you're getting a little ahead of yourself.
 
~~~^~~~ said:
As I've posted - this is a strike issue and the clock is ticking. The sooner we can get to self help, the better.

Neither ALPA, or Delta, can afford a strike. They both have a lot more to lose than we do. Lets see who blinks first.

~~~^~~~

Again, the NMB will decide whether that is a strike issue if they even release you to self help. Without that, you can forget it. You really need the Delta MEC to move anywhere with this. A wake-up call to all major pilots.

You just can't strike over this because you want too.
 
Sore like an Eagle...

DAL737FO said:
...the Eaglettes did for single carrier status? I think that the combined ASA/Comair would be a force to reckoned.

And I reckon you're right but to extrapolate your thought to its logical conclusion, the combined DAL/CMR/ASA list would be even more of a force for management to content with so why does the DMEC have no interest in that? Why the double standard?

Comair is more operationally integrated with Delta and ASA is more operationally integrated with Delta than Comair is operationally integrated with ASA so why is the Chairman of the Delta MEC endorsing a merger of two paper airlines which accomplishes essentially nothing? Any ideas?

It's a snark hunt. Both "managements" have now said they have no authority to even discuss it. The Comair and ASA pilots would have to pay dearly to pull off a merger and they would be in no better shape than Eagle is now. The whipsaw would still continue because ALPA refuses to let the CMR/ASA MECs bargain with their real employer. The Delta pilots simply cannot permit ASA and/or Comair to encroach on "their" scope. There's a lot of dust being churned up at Comair and ASA over this right now but interestingly enough, there's no associated movement with it.

Hey batter batter batter batter, it's a diversion. A merger between CMR/ASA does nothing to address the DFR issues the lawsuit raises but it gets the pilots to take their eye off the ball. The litigation has entered the discovery phase and ALPA will be compelled by the courts to produce some incriminating documents soon. Standby for more colorful subterfuge from ALPA. Your union dues at work.
 
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