UAL/CAL Strike Vote

[skyskooter]

SOURCE CAL MEC
Moved: Capt. Bruce Bishop
Second: Capt. Eric Hunter
Action: Passed 11/0/0
SUBJECT Strike Ballot
BACKGROUND; The Pilots of Continental and United airlines entered joint negotiations with
UCH over two years ago for a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA). Both pilot groups
are working under contracts that are years beyond their amendable dates. Negotiations for a joint
contract have been painstakingly slow and although some progress has been made lately, the
MEC believes that we must be prepared should progress once again stall. As has always been a
key component of the CALMEC Strategic Plan, ALPA has taken the next logical step towards
completing negotiations by asking the NMB for a proffer of arbitration. Should either party
reject the proffer a thirty day cooling off period would ensue and then, should agreement not be
reached, a release to self help. It is appropriate that the membership be balloted in order to
ascertain their level of support of this action and willingness to participate in a strike in order to
achieve a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement. .
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
WHEREAS the Pilots of Continental and United have been embroiled in lengthy negotiations,
and
WHEREAS, the Joint negotiating Committee has worked tireless and in good faith towards
reaching an agreement on a JCBA, and
WHEREAS, UCH management has indicated by their behavior at the negotiating table that they
do not share the MECs desire to achieve a fair and equitable negotiated agreement, and
CAL Master Executive Council
Air Line Pilots Association
CAL MEC Special Meeting
May 17 - 18, 2012
Sheraton Premier at Tysons Corner – Vienna, VA
0512-##(revision)R/M
Page 1
Committee # As A Whole 05/17/12 08:52 Agenda Item #01 - 0512
WHEREAS, ALPA has requested that the NMB proffer arbitration to the parties which is the first
step leading to self help should the contract not be resolved, and
WHEREAS this action taken today on the anniversary of the United pilots strike in 1985 is
intended to signify our desire for solidarity with our UAL brothers and sisters and the
commitment of all ALPA pilots to improve their careers and quality of life, and
WHEREAS, the ALPA Constitution and Bylaws requires the balloting of the membership to
authorize a strike,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the MEC directs the MEC Chairman to call for a ballot of the
membership to demonstrate their support of a withdrawal of services, if legally authorized, and if
and when the need arises,
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the CAL MEC requests the ALPA President to
authorize a strike ballot per the applicable procedures in the ALPA Constitution and By-Laws
and the ALPA Administrative Manual.
CAL Master Executive Council
Air Line Pilots Association
CAL MEC Special Meeting
May 17 - 18, 2012
Sheraton Premier at Tysons Corner – Vienna, VA
0512-##(revision)R/M
Page 2
Committee # As A Whole 05/17/12 08:52 Agenda Item #01 - 0512

 

[RIOtoPilot]

You better vote yes everyone!!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[RT8VA]

easy vote

 

[list2002]

About friggin' time.

 

[Continental]

I hope there is a big F Yeah mark to check!

 

[Daddy69]

yes!!!!!!!!!

 

[1st Rate]

Of course!!

 

[eaglesview]

This is an easy yes vote, but lets not discount how bad this can turn out. I see an awful lot of chest thumping by guys that have never been on strike. The following scenerio is a real possibility.

Strike vote passes.......forgone conclusion.
NMB does release us.........could happen
Confrontation finds itself in front of a PEB because Obama is not going to allow a strike of the worlds largest airline, which would threaten the fragile economy, before the election. Romney would have a field day with that.......Definatley could happen.
The entire mess ends up in front of an arbitrator......likely
Arbitrator looks at like carriers like Delta and USAir. I left out AA due to their BK and sees that both these carriers allow 90 seaters to be flown by regional carriers...Gives us a similar scope clause.........Would happen.
Jeff wins.

I am not saying we should not strike but you all better have your eyes open.

 

[Stukadriver]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but all a PEB can do is delay a strike by 60 days. Although it does use squishy terms like "generally," the following excerpt from the NMB website doesn't mention anything about binding arbitration:

Emergency Boards for Rail and Air Carriers
...except Commuter Rail Carriers

The President may create an emergency board to investigate and report on a dispute over the terms of a collective bargaining agreement. Under the Railway Labor Act, the President may exercise his discretion to create an emergency board when the labor dispute threatens "substantially to interrupt interstate commerce to a degree such as to deprive any section of the country of essential transportation service."
Creation of an emergency board delays a strike, lockout or other form of self-help, generally for 60 days. The emergency board has 30 days to issue its report. Generally, emergency boards provide recommendations for settlement of the dispute. After the emergency board reports to the President, the parties to the dispute have another 30 day cooling off period to consider the recommendations of the emergency board and to reach an agreement.
If no agreement is reached at the end of the cooling off period, then the parties may engage in self-help, including strikes, lockouts and unilateral changes in terms and conditions of employment.

 

[eaglesview]

Hmmm. You may be correct, I'll do more reseach, however the end result could be the same. The company is also allowed to impose working conditions which I gaurantee you would include 90 seaters AND an expansion of the outsoursing of widebody flying. (Think Aer Lingus). Now I realize there would be a lot of pressure applied to the company but they would get them up and running. All this brevado is unwarrented. I gaurantee you I can list more unsuccessfull airline strikes than successfull ones by a wide margin.

We need to be fully aware of what we are doing.

Also before you think just because I bring this up means I would not be supportive you are wrong. During the Eastern strike, which I was a part of, the chest thumpers were the first to go back. The folks that thought it through were more aware of what they were getting into and better prepared to stay out.