Strike ballot scheduled for Evergreen International Airlines crews

by B. N. Sullivan

Frustrated after six years of contract negotiations, the pilots and flight engineers at Evergreen International Airlines (EIA) have scheduled a strike authorization ballot, to begin on December 1, 2010.  Their union, the Air line Pilots Association (ALPA), says that they are conducting a strike ballot of the membership "to be prepared for all possible contingencies should negotiations fail."

This past April, ALPA reached a tentative contract agreement (TA) with management, but it was voted down by the crews in August.  At that time, ALPA reported that 92% of eligible Evergreen crew members participated in the ratification balloting, and 96% of those voted against accepting the TA.

According to ALPA, Evergreen crew members overwhelmingly turned down the TA in August because it fell substantially short of their goals.

The failed agreement was largely a renewal of the current collective bargaining agreement, which has been in place since 1999.  The crew members concluded that the tentative agreement was not acceptable after more than 10 years without improvements in some areas of working conditions, six years without a pay raise, and no per diem increase since the late ’90s.  After months of waiting to come back to the negotiating table since the crew members voted down a tentative agreement in August, the MEC is taking the necessary measures to secure a fair contract, including sending the ballot to authorize a strike.  The strike ballot will open on December 1 and close January 7.  If it passes, it would authorize the EIA MEC to declare a strike once the pilot group is given permission to do so by the National Mediation Board (NMB).

William Fink, MEC chairman of the Evergreen ALPA unit, said, “We certainly want a contract, not a strike.  That has been our goal since day one more than six years ago — but the new agreement must provide our members with industry-standard wages, work rules, and benefits.  We deserve no less.  This strike authorization vote will give us the means to take all legal actions to attain the goal of a fair contract.”

The union can ask the U.S. National Mediation Board (NMB) for arbitration at any time.  If the NMB issues a proffer of arbitration, either party can reject it.  Should that happen, a 30-day cooling-off period would begin, after which the Evergreen crews would be legally free to call the first-ever pilot strike against the carrier.

Evergreen International fined $4.855 million by FAA over pilot training

by B. N. Sullivan

Evergreen International Airlines faces a $4.855 fine, proposed by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)  "for allegedly using pilots on 232 revenue flights who had not bee trained in accordance with an FAA-approved training program."

In 2009, Evergreen aircraft were equipped with a new Flight Management System (FMS).  The FAA says the new FMS was different enough from the prior system that it required pilots to be specifically trained on it.  According to the FAA, Evergreen "did not complete its FAA-approved training for pilots before assigning them to fly revenue trips using the new FMS."

In a press release announcing the proposed civil penalty, the FAA explains:

The FAA alleges Evergreen line pilots received ground training and a check ride on the new FMS, but that the company did not provide required familiarization flights supervised by the company’s check pilots despite being told to do so by the FAA.  The familiarization flights are part of the FAA-approved training program for Evergreen aircraft equipped with the FMS.  Evergreen also failed to distribute copies of the required system manual to crews who would be using the FMS.

Subsequent to these improperly conducted flights, Evergreen has ensured that its pilots are trained in accordance with its FAA-approved training program and continues to operate under an FAA-approved training program.

The flights in question took place between February 19, 2009 and July 9, 2009.

FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said, “Even though Evergreen now complies with its training program, this penalty is appropriate because requiring operators to complete required, approved training is the only way to make sure crews are fully qualified to operate the equipment and systems to manage flights safely.”

Evergreen has 30 days to respond to the FAA regarding the allegations.

Air Transat pilots vote to strike; Wasaya pilots have a TA; Evergreen pilots reject their TA

by B. N. Sullivan

Lots of labor news from the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) this week:

Air Transat

Pilots at Montréal-based carrier Air Transat recently held a strike ballot, in which 97% of pilots voted in favor of a lawful strike, "should it become necessary to conclude a fair collective agreement" with the airline's management.  ALPA reports that 90% of pilots eligible to vote had participated in the balloting.

Contract negotiations began in January of this year.  ALPA says that "substantial issues remain open, particularly in the areas of job outsourcing, pilot fatigue mitigation, and compensation."  In June, a conciliation commissioner was appointed by Canada's Minister of Labour.

ALPA explains:

The conciliation time line establishes a series of hard deadlines for negotiators, including a 60-day conciliation period that will expire on September 10, 2010, unless the parties agree to extend the process. Under the Canada Labour Code, both the strike authorization vote and written notification to the company are required steps before any withdrawal of services can begin. At the end of conciliation, a mandatory 21-day waiting period will go into effect, which concludes at midnight on October 1, at which time Air Transat pilots will be in a legal position to strike.

“Our pilots are seeking a contract that recognizes their contribution to the success of the airline that they have helped to build,” said Captain Sylvain Aubin, chairman of the Air Transat unit of ALPA.   “This [strike] vote serves as notice to the company that our pilots are united and stand firm behind our goal of achieving a fair and equitable contract,” Captain Aubin added.


Wasaya Airways

Also in Canada, Wasaya Airways pilots have reached a tentative contract agreement (TA) with their management.  ALPA says the new two-year agreement provides pay increases, establishes a seniority, and implements the first sick bank for the pilots.

Wasaya pilots will vote on the TA in the coming weeks.  Should the tentative contract agreement be ratified, it would be the first for Wasaya pilots, who joined ALPA in January of 2008.

Evergreen International Airlines

Pilots and flight engineers at Oregon-based Evergreen International Airlines have rejected a tentative contract agreement, which was reached in April of this year.  ALPA reports that 92% of eligible Evergreen crew members participated in the ratification balloting, and 96% of those voted against accepting the TA.

From an ALPA press statement:

ALPA and management negotiated for two-and-a-half years. Prior to the Evergreen crewmembers joining ALPA in 2007, negotiations dragged on for more than three years between the crewmembers’ independent union, The Aviators Group, and management. Mediated talks began in 2005 under the supervision of the National Mediation Board (NMB). The tentative agreement was reached in April 2010.

The tentative agreement was largely a renewal of the current collective bargaining agreement, which has been in place since 1999. The crewmembers concluded that the tentative agreement contract is not acceptable after more than 10 years of no improvements in pay or working conditions.

William Fink, MEC chairman of the Evergreen pilot group, said that the crew members "could not get past the fact that they are working under 1999 wages and works rules, and would have continued to do so for another two years" under the terms of the TA.

“We are aware that the holding company is struggling to meet substantial debt obligations, but are convinced that the airline can afford reasonable improvements in wages and working conditions for its employees,” said Fink.

The NMB, which still has jurisdiction over the negotiations between Evergreen and its crew members, will determine the next step in resolving this case.

RELATED: Evergreen Airlines pilots frustrated after five years of contract talks - Sep 15, 2009

Evergreen Airlines pilots frustrated after five years of contract talks

The pilots and flight engineers at Evergreen International Airlines are working under rules and pay based on a contract arrived at a decade ago. Frustrated by talks that have dragged on for five years, the pilots' union is questioning Evergreen management's commitment to contract negotiations. They recently released the following statement to the press regarding their situation:

Evergreen International Airlines (EIA) crewmembers, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) are seeing red over management’s concessionary demands in the current contract talks. Evergreen crewmembers and management have met off and on over the past five years with little progress while the crewmembers continue working under 1999 wages and contract rules. The two sides are still chasms apart on all economic areas, even though Evergreen crewmembers lag the industry in pay as much as 32-40 percent depending on their rank compared with carriers doing similar work.

Evergreen crewmembers have supported the United States armed forces operating thousands of missions worldwide for the Air Mobility Command since 1975. Crewmembers are also counted on for their professionalism and experience when it comes to global humanitarian relief missions and DOD support through the Civilian Reserve Air Fleet. Evergreen crewmembers are the sole highly trained operators of Boeing’s LCF fleet of notably modified 747 freighters used to transport large segments of the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner from factories to the assembly plant in Everett, Washington.

“Evergreen crewmembers are loyal, dedicated employees who are committed to our airline’s successful future,” said William Fink, chairman of the Evergreen ALPA unit and EIA professional flight engineer. “We see the wonderful contributions our company’s president has made throughout the years to international humanitarian and relief projects as well as to aviation history and the community of McMinnville, Oregon through the Evergreen Aviation & Space museum with its Imax Theater and planned indoor water park and resort lodge. We only wish that a modicum of that attention could be focused on our pilots’ futures to conclude contract negotiations without further delay.”

Evergreen crewmembers are long overdue for a fair and equitable new collective bargaining agreement that reflects their considerable contributions to the cargo carrier’s success. Pilots have been in mediated talks under the supervision of the National Mediation Board since the end of 2005. Pilots are asking for cost-of-living pay increases which are approximately equal to the sum of consumer price index increases since 1999. They are well below industry standards on pay, protections and provisions for flying into hostile environments, and vacation time.

“We know our founder and majority stockholder understands the demands of our profession and respects the work that our crewmembers do to keep operations on schedule under sometimes very challenging conditions,” said Fink. “It’s time for pilots to see visible evidence of that understanding to stem mounting crewmember frustration – because a highly dissatisfied crew force benefits no one. Just as management must come to terms with its financiers and suppliers, it is equally critical to the success of the operation that management reaches a reasonable accord with its crewmembers."

ALPA is the bargaining representative for the 221 pilots and flight engineers in the service of EIA, including 10 currently on furlough, since 2008. Founded in 1931, ALPA represents nearly 53,500 pilots at 36 airlines in the United States and Canada.

[Photo Source]

Evergreen International's fire-fighting Boeing 747-100 Supertanker

You may have seen news clips on TV about the Very Large Aerial Tanker (VLAT) aircraft that are currently in use to fight the wildfires that are raging in California. These DC-10 and B-747 aircraft, operating under a supplemental type certificate, drop fire retardant material to assist in controlling large fires. They are operated by private companies under contract to the U.S. Forest Service.

One of those aircraft is the Boeing 747-100 Supertanker operated by Evergreen International. According to information provided by the company:

The multi-role B747 Supertanker is the largest tanker aircraft available today. With a payload of more than 20,000 gallons and a response time of 600 mph, it has more than eight times the drop capability and twice the speed of any other federal air tanker currently fighting fires. The Supertanker’s patented pressurized system has the capability to disperse product at high pressure for an overwhelming response, or disperse at the speed of falling rain in a single or several segmented drops. This pressurized system will also allow for drops at higher altitudes, creating a significant safety buffer and enabling the Supertanker to fight fires during the day and at night, when they are most vulnerable.

The video below shows some demonstration flights of Evergreen International's B747-100 Supertanker.

If the video does not play or display properly above, click here to view it on YouTube.

For more detailed information about both the B-747 and DC-10 tanker aircraft and their use in aerial fire suppression, see USFS Very Large Aerial Tanker Operational Test and Evaluation, a 24-page report ('pdf' file).

Evergreen International to fly new US-China cargo routes

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced this week that it was proposing to award new US-China cargo routes to Oregon-based freight carrier Evergreen International Airlines. Once final authority is granted, Evergreen will operate six round-trip flights per week to Shanghai from New York with additional traffic stops in Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth and Columbus, OH.

The U.S.-China aviation agreement of May, 2007 permits the United States to name a new all-cargo carrier to begin service in the market on March 25, 2009. In addition to Evergreen, Kalitta Air and TradeWinds Airlines also applied for the 2009 all-cargo rights.

The DOT concluded that Evergreen’s proposal offered the best service for the shipping public because the carrier was in the best position to compete with current all-cargo airlines in the market. Evergreen would offer the first scheduled U.S.-carrier all-cargo service to China from both New York and Columbus, the DOT said, also noting that Evergreen was the only applicant that would use the entire capacity of its aircraft for China services. In addition, the Department cited Evergreen’s experience operating in the U.S.-Asia market, including its U.S.-China charter services.

Evergreen International Airlines, a unit of Evergreen International Aviation, Inc., operates Boeing 747-100F and 747-200F aircraft.

The DOT tentatively awarded backup authority to Kalitta in the event that Evergreen is unable to begin service.

Airlines currently operating U.S.-China all-cargo service are Federal Express, Northwest Airlines, Polar Air Cargo and United Parcel Service. All restrictions on scheduled U.S.-China all-cargo services will be lifted in March 2011.

[Photo Source]