MK82Man
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2004
- Posts
- 210
Within the last couple of weeks, USAPA sent letters to the Company demanding that it fire four West pilots who USAPA claimed had not paid union dues or fees. While there are literally thousands of West and East pilots who have not paid dues, USAPA chose to send these letters to the Company demanding only that these four West pilots be fired. So far as AWAPPA knows, USAPA has not sent any other letters since sending these four.
USAPA mailed these letters on September 5th which started a critical fifteen day timeline to pay the dues alleged or submit a request for a review by the Company. All four pilots chose to request a review with US Airways Vice President of Labor Relations in accordance with Section 29 of the West collective bargaining agreement. On 18 September, AWAPPA received word that the Company upheld the appeals of all four pilots. While each pilot raised numerous issues in arguing that the provisions of Section 29 were not properly interpreted or applied, the VP of Labor Relations upheld the appeals based on the following issue (and therefore did not address the other issues each pilot raised)
While all four pilots had applied for membership with USAPA, only one pilot received email notification that her application had been accepted. This appeal was upheld on the basis that USAPA had violated its own Constitution and By-Laws by allowing the USAPA BPR to accept the application rather than the domicile members as required. The appeal states that unless it is clear that membership has been granted based upon established admissions procedures, the obligation to pay dues is in doubt and the pilot will not be fired.
The other three pilots had received no notification of whether their application had been accepted or denied. If in fact USAPA had denied their application, section 29 would not apply to them at all and there would be no obligation to pay dues money.
USAPA now has the opportunity to appeal these decisions within ten calendar days and submit the case before a neutral arbitrator.
USAPA continues to tell pilots to watch what our Management does and not what they say. AWAPPA believes that the same test applies to USAPA's self-appointed leadership team. While USAPA claims that it wants West pilots to be part of the union, its actions have proven they are only interested in continued discrimination and intimidation. In addition to their baseless lawsuit against our pilots that was promptly dismissed by the Federal court, it also published an update on September 4th that announced the "acceptance" of over 600 West pilots' membership applications. But instead of notifying and welcoming these pilots, on September 5th, it sent letters to four of those pilots in an attempt to have them fired. Additionally, it seems as if the acceptance of the West membership applications was improper and invalid.
It is important for all pilots - West and East - to recognize that USAPA may send additional certified letters to pilots they believe are delinquent in union dues or fees and letters to the Company asking that they be fired. The date of this certified letter triggers a critical 15 day timeline that, if ignored, could lead to possible termination.
USAPA mailed these letters on September 5th which started a critical fifteen day timeline to pay the dues alleged or submit a request for a review by the Company. All four pilots chose to request a review with US Airways Vice President of Labor Relations in accordance with Section 29 of the West collective bargaining agreement. On 18 September, AWAPPA received word that the Company upheld the appeals of all four pilots. While each pilot raised numerous issues in arguing that the provisions of Section 29 were not properly interpreted or applied, the VP of Labor Relations upheld the appeals based on the following issue (and therefore did not address the other issues each pilot raised)
While all four pilots had applied for membership with USAPA, only one pilot received email notification that her application had been accepted. This appeal was upheld on the basis that USAPA had violated its own Constitution and By-Laws by allowing the USAPA BPR to accept the application rather than the domicile members as required. The appeal states that unless it is clear that membership has been granted based upon established admissions procedures, the obligation to pay dues is in doubt and the pilot will not be fired.
The other three pilots had received no notification of whether their application had been accepted or denied. If in fact USAPA had denied their application, section 29 would not apply to them at all and there would be no obligation to pay dues money.
USAPA now has the opportunity to appeal these decisions within ten calendar days and submit the case before a neutral arbitrator.
USAPA continues to tell pilots to watch what our Management does and not what they say. AWAPPA believes that the same test applies to USAPA's self-appointed leadership team. While USAPA claims that it wants West pilots to be part of the union, its actions have proven they are only interested in continued discrimination and intimidation. In addition to their baseless lawsuit against our pilots that was promptly dismissed by the Federal court, it also published an update on September 4th that announced the "acceptance" of over 600 West pilots' membership applications. But instead of notifying and welcoming these pilots, on September 5th, it sent letters to four of those pilots in an attempt to have them fired. Additionally, it seems as if the acceptance of the West membership applications was improper and invalid.
It is important for all pilots - West and East - to recognize that USAPA may send additional certified letters to pilots they believe are delinquent in union dues or fees and letters to the Company asking that they be fired. The date of this certified letter triggers a critical 15 day timeline that, if ignored, could lead to possible termination.
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