Negotiating Committee Update
18 April 2014
This week the JNC had our first meeting with the Company and our NMB-assigned mediator to begin the second round of JCBA negotiations. As discussed in Thursday?s Nexus, the meeting consisted of initial status updates, a discussion of polling data, initial goals, and future planning. Our next meeting is scheduled for mid-June, where full proposals are expected to be exchanged.
We have received some questions from pilots that indicate there is misinformation in circulation about the content and results of the meeting on Wednesday. The facts of the meeting are as follows:
? ALPA presented the Company with selected information from the polling data regarding pilot perceptions of the condition of the Company, pilot opinions of management, and general expectations for a new JCBA.
? The parties discussed shortcomings of previous communications efforts and how each side intends to better explain the process and the outcome to pilots.
? The parties discussed current operational problems and contract compliance issues. The Company acknowledged that the pilots need to see results in these areas and is working to make that a reality.
? ALPA clearly stated that concessions of any kind in the JCBA are not acceptable.
? The Company acknowledged that improvements must be made to the failed agreement; a reorganization of the failed JCBA?s overall value would not work.
? The Company asked to begin negotiations as soon as possible.
? The parties committed to continue the negotiations process without delay.
? The parties mutually agreed on the June dates for exchange of full proposals.
While a waiting until June to continue is not ideal, several important factors contributed to this decision:
? Developing an opening proposal is a complex and important task. Openers set the tone for a negotiating process, and just like a first impression you only get one chance. Because we will be developing new proposals and not just rehashing the terms of the failed JCBA, this will take more time.
? The online survey of the pilot group is still in progress, and proposals cannot be developed until analysis of the survey is complete. If you have yet to do so, please take the survey now.
? The two MECs have yet to meet together to discuss specific JNC guidance for negotiations and to determine a single position on new JCBA issues. We will not present openers to the Company until our positions have been vetted and approved by both MECs.
? There is currently a recall vote in Council 176, and the XJT MEC strongly believes that a decision on openers must be delayed until that process is complete so the pilots of 176 are properly represented.
In negotiations as in flying, rushing tends to produce mistakes. The members of the JNC represent all XJT pilots, not just their legacy group. We will do everything possible to ensure that negotiations produce a JCBA TA which meets the expectations of all 4000 pilots of ExpressJet.