October 24, 2002
This is Roy Freundlich with a US Airways MEC update for Thursday, October 24, with four new items:
Item 1. The Company posted Permanent Bid 03-01 today. The effective month of the bid is January 2003.
The drivers of the bid include:
Reduction of 102 Captains Positions.
Minimum furlough of 326 total pilots on January 7, 2003.
Further reduction of 145 total pilots. Release date yet to be determined (Jan-Apr).
Reduction of block time.
Bid 03-01 includes 221 furloughs in addition to the over 530 pilot furloughs announced in Bid 02-03.
Your MEC representatives are extremely disappointed in management’s continuing focus on increasing pilot furloughs. This furlough is announced without an additional fleet reduction, and reflects reduced aircraft utilization through a reduction of block time.
Item 2. The announced furloughs in bids 02-03 and 03-01 are affecting pilots who are in their 12, 13, 14 and 15th year of service for US Airways. The total pilot furloughs announced since the Restructuring Agreement became effective are up at least 750 pilots. There will be over 1800 pilots on furlough if all furloughs become effective. This would be over a 30 percent reduction to our pilot workforce.
Unfortunately, management has not produced any tangible results from the small jet authority in the Restructuring Agreement and the Jets for Jobs program.
Management has not announced any startup dates for MidAtlantic Airways and appears to be extending its anticipated startup to late 2003 or early 2004.
Management announced this week that it has reached a commercial agreement with Mesa Air Group to begin flying 20 additional 50-seat small jets as part of the US Airways Express network. However, the Mesa pilots’ MEC, which is supportive of the Jets for Jobs concept, is still in negotiations with its management over this issue.
Mesa‘s management has taken hostile approaches to ALPA pilots. The Mesa pilots have been battling Mesa management’s efforts, headed by Jonathan Ornstein, to form an alter ego, non-union airline, called Freedom Airlines. The startup of Freedom Airlines will have the effect of stealing small jet flying jobs from the Mesa Air Group’s ALPA-represented pilots, which include furloughed CC Air pilots. Jonathan Ornstein’s shut down of CC Air operations is part of his continuing effort to undermine the good faith bargaining rights of CC Air ALPA pilots.
ALPA President Captain Duane Woerth would not sign a substandard contract for small jet flying at CC Air and remains opposed to the Mesa Air Group’s formation of Freedom Airlines as an alter-ego carrier. On July 17, 2002, ALPA International filed suit in U.S. District Court against Mesa Airlines, Mesa Air Group, and Jonathon Ornstein to have the Court cease their efforts to undermine the organizational rights of Mesa Airlines pilots.
The US Airways MEC supports the Mesa MEC and their pilots’ efforts in their negotiations to accept the Jets for Jobs protocol in order to allow for Mesa’s ability to operate small jets under US Airways code, and the Mesa pilots and ALPA International’s stance against the formation of Freedom Airlines.
Management has also announced that it is pursuing a commercial agreement with Midway Airlines, which is still in bankruptcy and is unable to operate. The schedule for Midway’s emergence from bankruptcy continues to be delayed.
To date, no additional small jets under the Jets for Jobs Protocol, as required by the Restructuring Agreement, have been added to US Airways’ operation to enhance the Company’s revenue capability.
Please remember we have 1,070 pilots on furlough, with 286 furloughs scheduled for November 5, 326 pilot furloughs scheduled for January 7, and 145 additional pilot furloughs anticipated through April 2003
This is Roy Freundlich with a US Airways MEC update for Thursday, October 24, with four new items:
Item 1. The Company posted Permanent Bid 03-01 today. The effective month of the bid is January 2003.
The drivers of the bid include:
Reduction of 102 Captains Positions.
Minimum furlough of 326 total pilots on January 7, 2003.
Further reduction of 145 total pilots. Release date yet to be determined (Jan-Apr).
Reduction of block time.
Bid 03-01 includes 221 furloughs in addition to the over 530 pilot furloughs announced in Bid 02-03.
Your MEC representatives are extremely disappointed in management’s continuing focus on increasing pilot furloughs. This furlough is announced without an additional fleet reduction, and reflects reduced aircraft utilization through a reduction of block time.
Item 2. The announced furloughs in bids 02-03 and 03-01 are affecting pilots who are in their 12, 13, 14 and 15th year of service for US Airways. The total pilot furloughs announced since the Restructuring Agreement became effective are up at least 750 pilots. There will be over 1800 pilots on furlough if all furloughs become effective. This would be over a 30 percent reduction to our pilot workforce.
Unfortunately, management has not produced any tangible results from the small jet authority in the Restructuring Agreement and the Jets for Jobs program.
Management has not announced any startup dates for MidAtlantic Airways and appears to be extending its anticipated startup to late 2003 or early 2004.
Management announced this week that it has reached a commercial agreement with Mesa Air Group to begin flying 20 additional 50-seat small jets as part of the US Airways Express network. However, the Mesa pilots’ MEC, which is supportive of the Jets for Jobs concept, is still in negotiations with its management over this issue.
Mesa‘s management has taken hostile approaches to ALPA pilots. The Mesa pilots have been battling Mesa management’s efforts, headed by Jonathan Ornstein, to form an alter ego, non-union airline, called Freedom Airlines. The startup of Freedom Airlines will have the effect of stealing small jet flying jobs from the Mesa Air Group’s ALPA-represented pilots, which include furloughed CC Air pilots. Jonathan Ornstein’s shut down of CC Air operations is part of his continuing effort to undermine the good faith bargaining rights of CC Air ALPA pilots.
ALPA President Captain Duane Woerth would not sign a substandard contract for small jet flying at CC Air and remains opposed to the Mesa Air Group’s formation of Freedom Airlines as an alter-ego carrier. On July 17, 2002, ALPA International filed suit in U.S. District Court against Mesa Airlines, Mesa Air Group, and Jonathon Ornstein to have the Court cease their efforts to undermine the organizational rights of Mesa Airlines pilots.
The US Airways MEC supports the Mesa MEC and their pilots’ efforts in their negotiations to accept the Jets for Jobs protocol in order to allow for Mesa’s ability to operate small jets under US Airways code, and the Mesa pilots and ALPA International’s stance against the formation of Freedom Airlines.
Management has also announced that it is pursuing a commercial agreement with Midway Airlines, which is still in bankruptcy and is unable to operate. The schedule for Midway’s emergence from bankruptcy continues to be delayed.
To date, no additional small jets under the Jets for Jobs Protocol, as required by the Restructuring Agreement, have been added to US Airways’ operation to enhance the Company’s revenue capability.
Please remember we have 1,070 pilots on furlough, with 286 furloughs scheduled for November 5, 326 pilot furloughs scheduled for January 7, and 145 additional pilot furloughs anticipated through April 2003
