DASHDRIVER
Uber User
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2001
- Posts
- 265
As Posted by the WO Airlines MEC Hotline
THIS FIRST ITEM WILL BE BROADCAST ON ALL THREE WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY HOTLINES.
THE FOLLOWING AIRWAYS NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE UPDATE WAS POSTED ON THE AIRWAYS MEC WEBSITE ON THE 23RD OF THIS MONTH, AND WAS PARAPHRASED ON THEIR MEC CODE A PHONE ON THE EVENING OF THE 26TH. IT IS A STATEMENT RIDDLED WITH DISINFORMATION AND HALF-TRUTHS; DESIGNED TO CREATE A RIFT BETWEEN OUR PILOT GROUPS, AND GENERATE A SMOKE SCREEN FOR THEIR ONGOING FAILURES. THE UNDENIABLE FACT IS THAT AIRWAYS LEADERSHIP AND IT'S NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE HAVE FOR YEARS, REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE BENEFITS OF REGIONAL JET FEED FOR THE MAIN LINE, AND ARE FALLING FURTHER BEHIND THE POWER CURVE.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THAT ANNOUNCEMENT. IN ADDITION WE OFFER THE TRUTH, WHICH WE WILL ADDRESS ITEM BY ITEM.
AND NOW HERE IS THE INTRODUCTION AND THE FIRST PARAGRAPH. QUOTE:
THIS IS A NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE UPDATE FROM THE NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN OF US AIRWAYS FOR SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2002. SUBJECT: WHOLLY OWNED PILOT LEADERSHIP IT HAS COME TO OUR ATTENTION THAT THE PILOT LEADERSHIP OF US AIRWAYS' WHOLLY OWNED CARRIERS IS ACTIVELY TRYING TO PERSUADE OTHER CARRIERS' PILOT GROUPS TO NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE PROPOSED JETS FOR JOBS PROGRAM. THEIR EFFORTS HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. AFTER MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH WHOLLY OWNED PILOT GROUP REPRESENTATIVES, IT HAS BECOME CLEAR THAT IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH THOSE PILOT GROUPS IN A COOPERATIVE MANNER. THIS IS QUITE DISAPPOINTING IN LIGHT OF OUR EFFORTS TO KEEP THE WHOLLY OWNED PILOT GROUPS APPRISED OF PROGRESS IN SJ DISCUSSIONS. END QUOTE. AND NOW THE TRUTH:
THE WHOLLY OWNED LEADERSHIP, AS WELL OTHER CODE SHARE AND NON-CODE SHARE PARTNERS WHO HAD BEEN APPROACHED BY THE AIRWAYS NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE, REGARDING THE JETS FOR JOBS PROTOCOL, COLLECTIVELY DECIDED TO HOLD A CONFERENCE CALL AND DISCUSS THE PROPOSAL. SURPRISINGLY ENOUGH EACH AIRLINE DISCOVERED THAT ALTHOUGH THEY WERE EACH GIVEN THE IDENTICAL DOCUMENT, THE AIRWAYS NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE WAS MAKING DIFFERENT DEALS WITH EACH AIRLINE, WITHOUT INFORMING THE OTHER CARRIERS OF THOSE TERMS. AND EVEN MORE DISTURBING IS THE FACT THAT THE AIRWAYS NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE FAILED TO INCLUDE THE AFFECTED PILOT LIST DOCUMENT, WHICH SETS NO LIMIT ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF AIRWAYS FURLOUGHEES WHO COULD PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, A NUMBER THAT COULD POTENTIALLY CLIMB INTO THE THOUSANDS. AND IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH, THAT SAME DOCUMENT GRANTS THOSE AFFECTED PILOTS ADDITIONAL RIGHTS AND BENEFITS THAT CAN BE NEGOTIATED BETWEEN US AIRWAYS AND PARTICIPATING CARRIERS, OPENING THE DOOR FOR THE CREATION OF A CONTRACT WITHIN A CONTRACT; TO THE POSSIBLE DETERMENT OF THE PILOTS OF THE PARTICIPATING CARRIERS. WHEN CONFRONTED WITH THEIR ATTEMPTED SLIGHT OF HAND, THE AIRWAYS NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE CLAIMED THAT IT WAS SIMPLY AN INTERNAL DOCUMENT BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND US AIRWAYS. AND ON THE SUBJECT OF MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS THAT THE WHOLLY OWNEDS HAVE ALLEGEDLY HAD WITH THE AIRWAYS NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE, THEY AMOUNT TO ONE. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT THE BULK OF THE AIRWAYS NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE'S CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE AFFECTED PILOT LIST DOCUMENT, HAVE BEEN DOWNLOADED FROM INDUSTRY WEBSITES.
In truth, there have not been several discussions between our two groups. We met in Duane Woerths office a few weeks ago, and have not heard from them since. We have tried to contact them several times, asking for information about the RJ negotiations, and they have stonewalled us, telling us that it was best if the information be held back by the Negotiating Committee while in fact they were talking almost daily with the contract carriers.
AND NOW PARAGRAPH TWO: QUOTE:
IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS GROUP CONTINUES TO BLAME US AIRWAYS PILOTS FOR US AIRWAYS MANAGEMENT DECISIONS TO OBTAIN JETS FROM OUTSIDE CARRIERS. THEY, LIKE US, DO NOT LIKE THE FACT THAT US AIRWAYS IS OUTSOURCING JOBS. NEVERTHELESS, WHOLLY OWNED PILOT LEADERSHIP HAS CHOSEN TO ALIENATE THE US AIRWAYS PILOT GROUP AS AN ALLY. IN SPITE OF THEIR ACTIONS, WE STILL INTEND TO EXTEND TO THE WHOLLY OWNED PILOT GROUP THE CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE JETS FOR JOBS PROGRAM AND THE BENEFITS THAT WILL FLOW FROM THE PROGRAM. AS WE HAVE DISCUSSED, THAT PROGRAM HAS ONLY UPSIDE POTENTIAL FOR ALL INVOLVED AND THERE IS NO DOWNSIDE. END QUOTE.
AND NOW THE TRUTH:
FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE WHOLLY OWNED PILOTS HAVE NEVER BLAMED RANK AND FILE US AIRWAYS PILOTS FOR AIRWAYS MANAGEMENT DECISIONS TO OBTAIN JETS FROM OUTSIDE CARRIERS. RATHER, IT IS OUR BELIEF THAT THE AIRWAYS PILOTS HAVE BEEN STRATEGICALLY LEFT IN THE DARK AS TO WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE STAND FOR. IT IS THE AIRWAYS LEADERSHIP AND IT'S NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE WHO HAVE NEVER ADVOCATED THAT REGIONAL JETS BE GIVEN TO THE WHOLLY OWNEDS, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, REMAIN WITHIN THE US AIRWAYS GROUP FAMILY. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARIES HAVE SUCCESSFULLY LOBBIED THEIR RESPECTIVE MANAGEMENTS TO HIRE FURLOUGHED AIRWAYS PILOTS, WITHOUT THEM HAVING TO RESIGN THEIR AIRWAYS SENIORITY NUMBERS, AN EFFORT WHICH HAS BEEN EXTREMELY FRUITFUL. OUR POSITION CONTINUES TO BE, AS IT HAS BEEN FOR YEARS, THAT THE BULK OF AIRWAYS REGIONAL JET OPERATION SHOULD REMAIN WITHIN THE AIRWAYS GROUP FAMILY. UNFORTUNATELY FOR ALL CONCERNED, THE APPLICATION OF REGIONAL JETS, AND THE INITIATION OF A GENUINE BI-DIRECTIONAL FLOW THROUGH HAS BEEN, TO EVERYONE'S DETERMENT, IGNORED.
WHILE THE AIRWAYS NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN IS ON RECORD AS SAYING THAT THERE IS NO DOWNSIDE TO THE JETS FOR JOBS PROTOCOL, THE FACT REMAINS THAT TO THIS DATE, THE AIRWAYS LEADERSHIP AND IT'S NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE HAVE FAILED TO ADDRESS OUR CONCERNS REGARDING JOB SECURITY, SENIORITY, DURATION, AND ADDITIONAL RIGHTS FOR DISPLACED AIRWAYS PILOTS. WHILE WE ARE FLATTERED THAT THE AIRWAYS NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE HAS GIVEN US CREDIT FOR ATTEMPTING TO UNIFY REGIONAL PILOTS, THE FACT REMAINS THAT THEY ARE DOING EXACTLY WHAT THEY HAVE ACCUSED AIRWAYS MANAGEMENT OF DOING, AND THAT IS OF INTENTIONALLY WHIPSAWING LABOR GROUPS AGAINST THEMSELVES. FOR YEARS, REGIONAL PILOTS HAVE BEEN SCOPED OUT BY THE MAINLINE NEGOTIATING COMMITTEES HOLDING REGIONAL JETS HOSTAGE, AND NOW THAT THE INDUSTRY HAS CHANGED, THEY REALIZE THAT THEY NO LONGER HAVE THE ABILITY TO LEVERAGE THE COMPANY WITH REGIONAL JETS, SO NOW THEY ARE MAKING A LAST DITCH-STAND EFFORT TO DEFRAY BLAME FROM THEMSELVES TO ANYONE ELSE THEY CAN POINT A FINGER AT.
THIS FIRST ITEM WILL BE BROADCAST ON ALL THREE WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY HOTLINES.
THE FOLLOWING AIRWAYS NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE UPDATE WAS POSTED ON THE AIRWAYS MEC WEBSITE ON THE 23RD OF THIS MONTH, AND WAS PARAPHRASED ON THEIR MEC CODE A PHONE ON THE EVENING OF THE 26TH. IT IS A STATEMENT RIDDLED WITH DISINFORMATION AND HALF-TRUTHS; DESIGNED TO CREATE A RIFT BETWEEN OUR PILOT GROUPS, AND GENERATE A SMOKE SCREEN FOR THEIR ONGOING FAILURES. THE UNDENIABLE FACT IS THAT AIRWAYS LEADERSHIP AND IT'S NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE HAVE FOR YEARS, REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE BENEFITS OF REGIONAL JET FEED FOR THE MAIN LINE, AND ARE FALLING FURTHER BEHIND THE POWER CURVE.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THAT ANNOUNCEMENT. IN ADDITION WE OFFER THE TRUTH, WHICH WE WILL ADDRESS ITEM BY ITEM.
AND NOW HERE IS THE INTRODUCTION AND THE FIRST PARAGRAPH. QUOTE:
THIS IS A NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE UPDATE FROM THE NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN OF US AIRWAYS FOR SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2002. SUBJECT: WHOLLY OWNED PILOT LEADERSHIP IT HAS COME TO OUR ATTENTION THAT THE PILOT LEADERSHIP OF US AIRWAYS' WHOLLY OWNED CARRIERS IS ACTIVELY TRYING TO PERSUADE OTHER CARRIERS' PILOT GROUPS TO NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE PROPOSED JETS FOR JOBS PROGRAM. THEIR EFFORTS HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. AFTER MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH WHOLLY OWNED PILOT GROUP REPRESENTATIVES, IT HAS BECOME CLEAR THAT IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH THOSE PILOT GROUPS IN A COOPERATIVE MANNER. THIS IS QUITE DISAPPOINTING IN LIGHT OF OUR EFFORTS TO KEEP THE WHOLLY OWNED PILOT GROUPS APPRISED OF PROGRESS IN SJ DISCUSSIONS. END QUOTE. AND NOW THE TRUTH:
THE WHOLLY OWNED LEADERSHIP, AS WELL OTHER CODE SHARE AND NON-CODE SHARE PARTNERS WHO HAD BEEN APPROACHED BY THE AIRWAYS NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE, REGARDING THE JETS FOR JOBS PROTOCOL, COLLECTIVELY DECIDED TO HOLD A CONFERENCE CALL AND DISCUSS THE PROPOSAL. SURPRISINGLY ENOUGH EACH AIRLINE DISCOVERED THAT ALTHOUGH THEY WERE EACH GIVEN THE IDENTICAL DOCUMENT, THE AIRWAYS NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE WAS MAKING DIFFERENT DEALS WITH EACH AIRLINE, WITHOUT INFORMING THE OTHER CARRIERS OF THOSE TERMS. AND EVEN MORE DISTURBING IS THE FACT THAT THE AIRWAYS NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE FAILED TO INCLUDE THE AFFECTED PILOT LIST DOCUMENT, WHICH SETS NO LIMIT ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF AIRWAYS FURLOUGHEES WHO COULD PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, A NUMBER THAT COULD POTENTIALLY CLIMB INTO THE THOUSANDS. AND IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH, THAT SAME DOCUMENT GRANTS THOSE AFFECTED PILOTS ADDITIONAL RIGHTS AND BENEFITS THAT CAN BE NEGOTIATED BETWEEN US AIRWAYS AND PARTICIPATING CARRIERS, OPENING THE DOOR FOR THE CREATION OF A CONTRACT WITHIN A CONTRACT; TO THE POSSIBLE DETERMENT OF THE PILOTS OF THE PARTICIPATING CARRIERS. WHEN CONFRONTED WITH THEIR ATTEMPTED SLIGHT OF HAND, THE AIRWAYS NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE CLAIMED THAT IT WAS SIMPLY AN INTERNAL DOCUMENT BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND US AIRWAYS. AND ON THE SUBJECT OF MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS THAT THE WHOLLY OWNEDS HAVE ALLEGEDLY HAD WITH THE AIRWAYS NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE, THEY AMOUNT TO ONE. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT THE BULK OF THE AIRWAYS NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE'S CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE AFFECTED PILOT LIST DOCUMENT, HAVE BEEN DOWNLOADED FROM INDUSTRY WEBSITES.
In truth, there have not been several discussions between our two groups. We met in Duane Woerths office a few weeks ago, and have not heard from them since. We have tried to contact them several times, asking for information about the RJ negotiations, and they have stonewalled us, telling us that it was best if the information be held back by the Negotiating Committee while in fact they were talking almost daily with the contract carriers.
AND NOW PARAGRAPH TWO: QUOTE:
IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS GROUP CONTINUES TO BLAME US AIRWAYS PILOTS FOR US AIRWAYS MANAGEMENT DECISIONS TO OBTAIN JETS FROM OUTSIDE CARRIERS. THEY, LIKE US, DO NOT LIKE THE FACT THAT US AIRWAYS IS OUTSOURCING JOBS. NEVERTHELESS, WHOLLY OWNED PILOT LEADERSHIP HAS CHOSEN TO ALIENATE THE US AIRWAYS PILOT GROUP AS AN ALLY. IN SPITE OF THEIR ACTIONS, WE STILL INTEND TO EXTEND TO THE WHOLLY OWNED PILOT GROUP THE CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE JETS FOR JOBS PROGRAM AND THE BENEFITS THAT WILL FLOW FROM THE PROGRAM. AS WE HAVE DISCUSSED, THAT PROGRAM HAS ONLY UPSIDE POTENTIAL FOR ALL INVOLVED AND THERE IS NO DOWNSIDE. END QUOTE.
AND NOW THE TRUTH:
FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE WHOLLY OWNED PILOTS HAVE NEVER BLAMED RANK AND FILE US AIRWAYS PILOTS FOR AIRWAYS MANAGEMENT DECISIONS TO OBTAIN JETS FROM OUTSIDE CARRIERS. RATHER, IT IS OUR BELIEF THAT THE AIRWAYS PILOTS HAVE BEEN STRATEGICALLY LEFT IN THE DARK AS TO WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE STAND FOR. IT IS THE AIRWAYS LEADERSHIP AND IT'S NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE WHO HAVE NEVER ADVOCATED THAT REGIONAL JETS BE GIVEN TO THE WHOLLY OWNEDS, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, REMAIN WITHIN THE US AIRWAYS GROUP FAMILY. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARIES HAVE SUCCESSFULLY LOBBIED THEIR RESPECTIVE MANAGEMENTS TO HIRE FURLOUGHED AIRWAYS PILOTS, WITHOUT THEM HAVING TO RESIGN THEIR AIRWAYS SENIORITY NUMBERS, AN EFFORT WHICH HAS BEEN EXTREMELY FRUITFUL. OUR POSITION CONTINUES TO BE, AS IT HAS BEEN FOR YEARS, THAT THE BULK OF AIRWAYS REGIONAL JET OPERATION SHOULD REMAIN WITHIN THE AIRWAYS GROUP FAMILY. UNFORTUNATELY FOR ALL CONCERNED, THE APPLICATION OF REGIONAL JETS, AND THE INITIATION OF A GENUINE BI-DIRECTIONAL FLOW THROUGH HAS BEEN, TO EVERYONE'S DETERMENT, IGNORED.
WHILE THE AIRWAYS NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN IS ON RECORD AS SAYING THAT THERE IS NO DOWNSIDE TO THE JETS FOR JOBS PROTOCOL, THE FACT REMAINS THAT TO THIS DATE, THE AIRWAYS LEADERSHIP AND IT'S NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE HAVE FAILED TO ADDRESS OUR CONCERNS REGARDING JOB SECURITY, SENIORITY, DURATION, AND ADDITIONAL RIGHTS FOR DISPLACED AIRWAYS PILOTS. WHILE WE ARE FLATTERED THAT THE AIRWAYS NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE HAS GIVEN US CREDIT FOR ATTEMPTING TO UNIFY REGIONAL PILOTS, THE FACT REMAINS THAT THEY ARE DOING EXACTLY WHAT THEY HAVE ACCUSED AIRWAYS MANAGEMENT OF DOING, AND THAT IS OF INTENTIONALLY WHIPSAWING LABOR GROUPS AGAINST THEMSELVES. FOR YEARS, REGIONAL PILOTS HAVE BEEN SCOPED OUT BY THE MAINLINE NEGOTIATING COMMITTEES HOLDING REGIONAL JETS HOSTAGE, AND NOW THAT THE INDUSTRY HAS CHANGED, THEY REALIZE THAT THEY NO LONGER HAVE THE ABILITY TO LEVERAGE THE COMPANY WITH REGIONAL JETS, SO NOW THEY ARE MAKING A LAST DITCH-STAND EFFORT TO DEFRAY BLAME FROM THEMSELVES TO ANYONE ELSE THEY CAN POINT A FINGER AT.
