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Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2001
- Posts
- 61
March 6, 2003
Fellow IPA Members:
Today representatives of UPS management met with members of the IPA
Executive Board. The meeting was called by the Company to announce a
suspension in UPS's plan to furlough 100 crewmembers by September of
this year. Company officials stressed that the suspension of the
furlough may be temporary and furlough plans may be reactivated at any
time. Additionally, no change has been made in the Company's demotion
of IPA captains to first officers and no change in the Company's plans
to demote more F/Os to S/Os in the current displacement bid.
As you know, the Company's plan to furlough was announced last
month. Why the change of heart now? Publicly, the Company is citing
the military call-up of 76 pilots and the 36 pilots who have responded
to the either the Company's voluntary leave plan or early retirement
plan.
The Executive Board believes that the core reason lies in the
determination of individual IPA members to exercise their right under
the contract to decline voluntary overtime. Thanks to your efforts, the
100 members who were scheduled to be put on the street will now continue
to have a job. This is a major success marker for the pilot group, and
one in which every member should take great pride.
In the course of our meeting, the Company confronted the
Association with data to argue that the non-pick up of open time is
creating "artificial shortages" in manning. We believe the shortages
are real and not artificial. For months we have used our staffing data
to demonstrate that the airline is, in fact, understaffed. In November,
we said that assisting the Company in masking these shortages with
overtime was not in the long term interest in the pilot group, UPS, or
our customers.
We are convinced that this is the case now, more than ever. We
believe it is not in the interest of IPA crews to: 1) to volunteer for
open time flying assignments; 2) to increase original credit line values
by more than five (5:00) credit hours using line improvement or trip
trades; 3) to participate in vacation buy-backs; 4) to voluntarily train
on days off; 5) to bid for vacation on days off; or 6) to bid for trips
that carry-in to days off.
Our recommendation will stand until: 1) UPS removes the threat of
furloughing IPA members; 2) IPA members who have lost status regain
status; and 3) the airline is properly staffed.
In the days since last month's furlough announcement, the pilot
group has pulled together in remarkable ways. We have come together and
organized a Furlough Operations Center. We have reached out to our
fellow members and made plans to continue the income and benefits of all
100 potential furloughees. Instead of turning our frustration on each
other, the membership immediately saw the furlough for what it was and
is-a bargaining tactic and a test of our strength.
In my opinion, we have passed the first test of "union busting
101" in this negotiation with flying colors. Before we have a new
contract, other tests will surely follow. During this critical period
the Company has been carefully watching for cracks in our solidarity.
There have been none.
While today's temporary "furlough suspension" is a major victory
for the pilot group, we can not afford to let down our guard. We will
continue to operate the Furlough Operations Center and refine our plans
in the event UPS announces a reactivation of the furlough. We will
simply not allow the Company to hold any segment of our group "hostage"
in order to distract from our primary objective of achieving the new
contract that you want and deserve.
Fraternally,
Captain Robert M. Miller
IPA President
Fellow IPA Members:
Today representatives of UPS management met with members of the IPA
Executive Board. The meeting was called by the Company to announce a
suspension in UPS's plan to furlough 100 crewmembers by September of
this year. Company officials stressed that the suspension of the
furlough may be temporary and furlough plans may be reactivated at any
time. Additionally, no change has been made in the Company's demotion
of IPA captains to first officers and no change in the Company's plans
to demote more F/Os to S/Os in the current displacement bid.
As you know, the Company's plan to furlough was announced last
month. Why the change of heart now? Publicly, the Company is citing
the military call-up of 76 pilots and the 36 pilots who have responded
to the either the Company's voluntary leave plan or early retirement
plan.
The Executive Board believes that the core reason lies in the
determination of individual IPA members to exercise their right under
the contract to decline voluntary overtime. Thanks to your efforts, the
100 members who were scheduled to be put on the street will now continue
to have a job. This is a major success marker for the pilot group, and
one in which every member should take great pride.
In the course of our meeting, the Company confronted the
Association with data to argue that the non-pick up of open time is
creating "artificial shortages" in manning. We believe the shortages
are real and not artificial. For months we have used our staffing data
to demonstrate that the airline is, in fact, understaffed. In November,
we said that assisting the Company in masking these shortages with
overtime was not in the long term interest in the pilot group, UPS, or
our customers.
We are convinced that this is the case now, more than ever. We
believe it is not in the interest of IPA crews to: 1) to volunteer for
open time flying assignments; 2) to increase original credit line values
by more than five (5:00) credit hours using line improvement or trip
trades; 3) to participate in vacation buy-backs; 4) to voluntarily train
on days off; 5) to bid for vacation on days off; or 6) to bid for trips
that carry-in to days off.
Our recommendation will stand until: 1) UPS removes the threat of
furloughing IPA members; 2) IPA members who have lost status regain
status; and 3) the airline is properly staffed.
In the days since last month's furlough announcement, the pilot
group has pulled together in remarkable ways. We have come together and
organized a Furlough Operations Center. We have reached out to our
fellow members and made plans to continue the income and benefits of all
100 potential furloughees. Instead of turning our frustration on each
other, the membership immediately saw the furlough for what it was and
is-a bargaining tactic and a test of our strength.
In my opinion, we have passed the first test of "union busting
101" in this negotiation with flying colors. Before we have a new
contract, other tests will surely follow. During this critical period
the Company has been carefully watching for cracks in our solidarity.
There have been none.
While today's temporary "furlough suspension" is a major victory
for the pilot group, we can not afford to let down our guard. We will
continue to operate the Furlough Operations Center and refine our plans
in the event UPS announces a reactivation of the furlough. We will
simply not allow the Company to hold any segment of our group "hostage"
in order to distract from our primary objective of achieving the new
contract that you want and deserve.
Fraternally,
Captain Robert M. Miller
IPA President
