Tentative contract agreement for Air Transport International flight crews

by B. N. Sullivan

The pilots and flight engineers at Air Transport International (ATI) have reached a tentative contract agreement (TA) with the carrier's management.  The TA was reached after six years of contract negotiations, and is the first contract for ATI crew since they joined the Air line Pilots Association (ALPA) in 2009.  ALPA negotiators and ATI management had been meeting under the supervision of the National Mediation Board.

According to ALPA, the proposed four-year agreement "would include pay increases as well as improved work rules and quality-of-life enhancements for cockpit crewmembers."

A ratification vote will be held after details of the agreement are presented to the membership in a series of road shows at ATI crew hub and training centers. The road shows will begin in January, 2011.

“We will be pleased to present to our crewmembers an agreement that satisfies their needs,” said Capt. Tom Rogers, chairman of the ATI unit of ALPA. “What brought these negotiations to where they are today is the fact that ATI crewmembers take great pride in the service they provide to the Company and that they are dedicated to seeing ATI prosper. It’s been a long road, and I believe that our determination has finally paid off.”

Horizon Air pilots approve new five-year contract

by B. N. Sullivan

The pilots at Horizon Air have approved a new five-year collective bargaining agreement.  Their union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters APA Local 1224, announced today that the tentative agreement  reached in September of this year  was ratified by the membership.  Ballots were tallied yesterday and the vote passed the membership by 60 percent, according to the union.

A press statement by Teamsters Local 1224 offered these details:

The new contract includes dramatic improvements in work conditions where the pilots will be writing their own schedules and trips.  Also, a progressive scheduling process was agreed to whereby pilots can trade and manage their schedules among each other to accommodate their personal wishes, with improved pay protections for Horizon pilots.  Significant ratification bonuses also were included in the agreement.  The pay rates will be submitted in two separate 'baseball style' arbitrations; a method agreed upon to avoid an impasse on the subject.

Most notable of these is, perhaps, the scheduling improvements in this agreement which demonstrate that Horizon has entrusted the pilot group to build safe, cost-efficient schedules.

"We look forward to implementing this new contract, especially the scheduling portion," says Captain Trevor Bulger. "The scheduling section in and of itself is a major industry improvement in that our pilots now have the ability to essentially build their own schedules. We envision this will provide for a vast improvement in our quality of life."

The new agreement was reached following more than four years of negotiations, and months of federal mediation.

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.

AirTran crew contracts: One down, still one to go

by B. N. Sullivan

AirTran Airways pilots and flight attendants have been negotiating for years with the airline's management, hoping to achieve agreements for work contracts.  After nearly six years of negotiations, the pilots have a new labor agreement in hand, however contract talks between AirTran and its flight attendants seem to be going nowhere.

Pilots

The pilots at AirTran Airways have ratified the tentative contract agreement reached last month with the airline's management.  The pilots' union, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), announced the results of the ratification vote today, noting that 86.93 percent of those who cast ballots voted in favor of the agreement.  ALPA said 93.28 percent of eligible AirTran pilots participated in the ratification vote. 

According to a statement issued by ALPA, the new pilot contract enhances pay rates, quality of life, and career protections.  Most elements of the contract will take effect on December 1, 2010.

“By approving this contract, our members have signaled that they are focused on the future and ready to close a contentious chapter in our airline’s history,” said Linden Hillman, chairman of the AirTran chapter of ALPA.  “This deal will provide real improvements in our members’ lives and allow us to concentrate on the important work of merging two great companies.”

Flight Attendants

Last month -- around the same time that the pilots announced their tentative contract agreement -- AirTran's flight attendants filed for mediation of their contract talks by the National Mediation Board (NMB).  The flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), commenced collective bargaining for a new contract in December of 2007.

AFA-CWA says that shortly after Southwest Airlines announced in September that it would acquire AirTran, AirTran management approached the union requesting an abbreviated list of the flight attendants' greatest concerns in order to expedite negotiations.

AFA-CWA explains:

When presented with the union's "short list" proposal, company management responded with a counterproposal consisting mostly of existing contract language and minimal pay increases.  In addition, they failed to address the most basic work, duty and rest provisions.  AFA-CWA rejected management's proposal and filed for mediation services from the National Mediation Board the following day.

Despite AirTran's acquisition by Southwest, AirTran flight attendants will continue to work under the AirTran contract for at least another two years.  AFA-CWA points out that under the Railway Labor Act, "this future change in ownership does not negate the carrier's obligation to negotiate now with its flight attendants in good faith."

"It is incomprehensible that our flight attendants are subjected to the worst work rules of any major airline, while it is those same flight attendants' hard work that has earned AirTran numerous awards and accolades," said Alison Head, AFA-CWA AirTran President.

"Management has worked with its pilots to negotiate an acceptable contract to work under through the Southwest merger process - but refuses to offer some of the same fair work rules to its flight attendants., Ms. Head continued.  "Why would you extend fair work rules to one group of safety professionals and not to the other?"

In order to publicly demonstrate their frustrations over the stalled contract negotiations, AirTran flight attendants plan to picket outside Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport this coming Wednesday, November 24, 2010.

Flight attendant union calls on TSA to fully implement CrewPASS

by B. N. Sullivan

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) has once again called upon the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to fully implement CrewPASS, an identification credential for aviation workers that promotes expedited screening of those who most frequently pass through airport security.

In a press statement issued yesterday, Patricia Friend, AFA-CWA International President, said, “TSA has devoted many resources to enhancing aviation security but, as recently announced screening procedures take effect, it is flight attendants who are adversely affected by lengthy airport security lines.

“Flight attendants are subject to extensive background checks so there is no reasonable explanation why this highly vetted group of aviation employees continues to be exposed to lengthy airport security lines which may affect their ability to report to the aircraft on time.  AFA-CWA supports a multi-layered aviation security system and we urge the TSA to continue work on improving airport security screening effectiveness.”

For years, AFA-CWA has been urging TSA to devote serious resources to the appropriate development and full implementation of an aviation workers’ identification credential that will promote expedited screening of those who most frequently must pass through airport security.  This credential could employ biometrics, such as fingerprints, to quickly screen flight attendants and others.  This would ultimately allow TSA to focus on more effective screening of the hundreds of airport vendors and thousands of aircraft passengers who daily pass through the screening checkpoints.

RELATED:

• Legislation will expedite crew access at U.S. airports
• TSA launches expedited security screening for flight deck crews

Pilots at Air Wisconsin begin contract negotiations

by B. N. Sullivan

Contract negotiations have begun between the Air Wisconsin pilots' union and the management of Air Wisconsin Airlines Company (AWAC).  Air Wisconsin pilots are represented by the Air line pilots Association (ALPA).

According to ALPA:

After more than two years of meticulous planning that included the development of a comprehensive strategic plan and a multifaceted communications program, the Air Wisconsin pilots exchanged openers with management as outlined in the Railway Labor Act (RLA)—the federal statute that governs contract negotiations in the airline industry. The RLA sets the rules for collective bargaining, representation, and grievance processing in the airline and railroad industries. Section 6 is the provision of the RLA that defines how airline management and the union can start and continue collective bargaining to amend applicable working conditions.

“Our opener is very extensive and includes improvements to nearly every section of the contract,” said Capt. Mark Lockwood, chairman of the Air Wisconsin pilots’ Negotiating Committee. “We have surveyed the pilot group twice and spent countless hours speaking with our fellow pilots. The overwhelming sentiment that we have heard is that the pilots want more of Air Wisconsin’s earnings, not less.” As a result, the Master Executive Council recently launched the “MORE” campaign to kick off the start of negotiations.

“We are very optimistic about achieving a quality contract that compensates our pilots for the high level of productivity that has supported Air Wisconsin’s growth,” said Capt. Joe Ellis, chairman of the Air Wisconsin pilots’ chapter of ALPA.

ALPA notes that despite the recession and current economic climate, AWAC continues to make money, has recalled furloughed pilots, and has begun hiring new pilots.

“Air Wisconsin has long been the ‘go-to’ airline, the airline of choice, and the airline that set the bar for our sector of the industry,” said Capt. Ellis. “It’s no secret that even though our pilots provided deep concessions nearly eight years ago, through the subsequent mismanagement of our airline, Air Wisconsin’s reputation has plummeted. Our pilots have made a clear statement that they expect real change—change that will restore our company as a place where employees are proud to answer the question, ‘Who do you fly for?’”

AirTran flight attendants file for mediation of contract negotiations

by B. N. Sullivan

The flight attendants at AirTran Airways have filed with the National Mediation Board (NMB) for mediation of contract negotiations. After more than three years of talks, the flight attendants' union believes that their  negotiations with AirTran management have reached an impasse.  AirTran flight attendants are represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA).

A press statement issued by the AFA explains:

Southwest Airlines recently announced its intention to acquire AirTran.  Although the ownership of AirTran is about to change, this does not negate the carrier’s obligation to negotiate with its flight attendants in good faith.

“It is an interesting marriage,” said Alison Head, AFA-CWA AirTran President.  “I was surprised by all the characterizations of AirTran as ‘employee-centric’ because we have certainly not witnessed that.  For over three years, AFA-CWA has tried to work with management on negotiating a contract that adequately reflects the work and dedication we continue to provide to this airline.”

Following the announcement of the acquisition by Southwest, AirTran management approached AFA-CWA requesting an abbreviated list of the flight attendants’ greatest concerns in order to expedite negotiations.  When presented with the union’s “short list” proposal, the company responded with a counterproposal consisting mostly of existing contract language and minimal pay increases.   In addition, they failed to address the most basic work, duty and rest provisions.

“Management’s failure to effectively manage resources and respect the quality-of-life issues are at the heart of our contract demands,” stated Head.   “Just last Friday, Mr. Fornaro asserted that he ‘would like to enter into the relationship with Southwest with everything buttoned up.’  Obviously, the company is not committed to getting an agreement with its flight attendants.  AirTran flight attendants want a contract and will not sit idly by watching management drag this process on any longer.  The flight attendants’ contribution to the success of this airline cannot be ignored.”

Meanwhile, AirTran pilots announced several days ago that they had reached a tentative contract agreement with the airline's management.  A ratification vote on the pilot contract is expected to take place next month.

Allegiant Air flight attendants file for union representation election

by B. N. Sullivan

Allegiant Air flight attendants have filed a petition with the U.S. National Mediation Board (NMB) to hold a union representation election.  The flight attendants are seeking representation by the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU).

The TWU Allegiant Air organizers said about the NMB filing:

We are one step closer to having a level playing field, a seat at the negotiating table, and a collective bargaining agreement with management that takes away our status as “at-will” employees.

If the representation election is successful, the flight attendants will be the first work group at Allegiant to be unionized.

Continental Airlines flight attendants reject tentative contract agreement

 by B. N. Sullivan

Continental Airlines flight attendants have rejected a temporary contract agreement (TA), which was reached in September.  Their union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) announced the results of the ratification vote earlier today: 61% of the membership participated, and of those, 45% voted to accept the TA and 55% voted to reject it.

In a statement about the failed ratification vote, the IAM said:

In meetings held with the membership at all bases it became clear the Flight Attendants prefer a complete agreement that provides full recovery of items sacrificed in the previous round of concessionary bargaining, such as sick leave, vacation and 401K Match instead of an interim agreement.

Although we acknowledged from the outset that the Tentative Interim Agreement did not contain everything the membership - or the committee – wanted, in light of the merger with United Airlines it would have been irresponsible of the committee not to allow the Flight Attendants an opportunity to view and vote on the wages, fence agreement and no furlough clause we had achieved in the company’s last proposal.  As the Negotiating Committee indicated before voting began, we would be guided by the membership’s direction, and that direction is clear.

Merger or no merger Continental has a legal obligation to negotiate.  We have notified Continental that we are prepared to immediately resume bargaining which will address the comprehensive agreement that fulfills goals the membership expressed.

Sounds like it's back to the bargaining table for the IAM and Continental management. 

CommutAir pilots protest proposed 9% pay cut

by B. N. Sullivan

Pilots for CommutAir, a Continental Connection carrier, picketed at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport yesterday to protest proposed pay cuts they say would make them the lowest-paid pilots for their aircraft type in the airline industry.

CommutAir pilots are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).  In a statement to the press, the union said:

Coming at a time when experts agree the regional airline sector needs improvement, the pilots warned that CommutAir management’s plan to lower their wages is a direct assault on efforts to raise standards among regional carriers.

“No one wins in a race to the bottom,” said Colgan Air Capt. Mark Segaloff, who was recently elected to represent the CommutAir group as an executive vice-president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l. (ALPA).  The CMT pilots joined the Association in 2008 and are negotiating their first union contract.

“Under CommutAir’s most recent contract offer, a new-hire pilot would make less than $20,000 a year,” Segaloff continued.  “Every airline pilot has a stake in what’s happening at this small airline, because if CommutAir is successful in cutting pay when the industry is coming out of its slump, they will lower the bar for regional pilots across the country.”

The 134 pilots of CommutAir, based in North Olmsted, OH, began negotiations 20 months ago.  In September the company unveiled its economic proposal: a 9 percent pay cut.  ALPA’s economic proposal requests pay increases to bring the low-paying airline into parity with pilots flying similar turboprop aircraft.

“All the CommutAir pilots are asking for is an industry-standard wage.  My airline, Mesaba, American Eagle, ExpressJet, and others have all weathered the same financial storms CommutAir has, and they set the market rate,” said Comair Capt. Mark Cirksena, who traveled from Cincinnati to support the CommutAir picketers.  “The pilots at CommutAir need a living wage with a reasonable quality of life.”

Joining the CommutAir pilots on the picket line were ALPA members from 13 other carriers, including Continental, Delta, AirTran, ExpressJet, Colgan, Comair, Spirit, Mesaba, Air Wisconsin, Mesa, North American, Atlantic Southeast, and Trans States.

[Photo Source]

AirTran pilots and management reach a tentative contract agreement

by B. N. Sullivan

After more than five years of negotiations, the pilots at AirTran Airways have reached a tentative contract agreement with the airline's management.  The deal was announced late last week by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which has represented AirTran's pilots since 2009.

Details of the tentative agreement (TA) have not been disclosed, pending approval by the AirTran Master Executive Council (MEC) and ratification by the pilot membership.  However Linden Hillman, chairman of ALPA's AirTran unit said, “We believe that this contract provides significant improvements in pay, quality of life, and other important benefits that our pilots have earned and deserve.”

If the MEC representatives give their approval, the TA will be put to the membership for a ratification vote next month.

In September of this year, AirTran Airways agreed to be acquired by Southwest Airlines.  The acquisition is awaiting regulatory and shareholder approval.

“After our pilots get to vote on our new contract, we will be able to focus completely on the upcoming transition and merger with the Southwest pilot group,” said Hillman. “Our professional pilots with similar cultures and work ethic will combine to form an industry-leading workforce.”

Southwest's pilots are represented by the Southwest Airlines Pilots' Association (SWAPA), an independent union not affiliated with ALPA.

Air Transat pilots ratify new contract

by B. N. Sullivan

Pilots at Air Transat have ratified their new contract.  The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents Air Transat pilots, says that 87% of eligible pilots cast ballots, and 75% of those were in favor of ratifying the agreement.

“We are really pleased with the results,” said Capt. Sylvain Aubin, chairman of the pilots’ Master Executive Council (MEC).  “With these strong numbers, our pilots have once again demonstrated their unity as they have done throughout the entire collective bargaining process.”  The successful ratification by Air Transat pilots represents over 13 months of strategic planning by members of Air Transat’s MEC and Negotiating Committee.

According to ALPA, the new agreement provides employment protection for long-term job stability, improvements to pay rate, and lifestyle considerations that incorporate fatigue-mitigation factors.

The pilots of Air Transat and Transat A.T. management now begin the process of implementing the new collective agreement.  “Our pilots have spoken with a unified voice,” said Capt. Aubin.  “We anticipate management to deal responsibly and expeditiously with the implementation of the new agreement.”

Horizon Air pilots have a tentative contact agreement

by B. N. Sullivan

The pilots at Horizon Air have a tentative contract.  The agreement between Horizon management and the pilots' union was reached following more than four years of negotiations, and months of federal mediation.  Horizon pilots are represented by Teamsters Local 1244, The Airline Professionals Association.

No details about the new contract have been publicly released, pending a ratification vote.  The union leadership expects to present the contract to the pilot membership for a ratification vote next month.

In a statement about the tentative agreement, Joe Muckle, President of the Airline Professionals Association Teamsters Local 1244, said, “The Union leadership and negotiators worked very hard to finalize the provisions in this tentative agreement.  I thank and congratulate the negotiating teams on both sides for their collaborative efforts.  While the agreement is still contingent upon the membership’s vote to ratify the contract, I believe that it adequately provides for the Company’s needs and also recognizes the very high level of service and professionalism the Horizon pilots provide.”

“The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has been negotiating for the Horizon Air pilots since March 2006, and the industry landscape has changed dramatically during that time,” said Captain David Bourne, Teamsters’ Airline Division Director.  “This is a good agreement with significant quality of life improvements and other incentives."

Air Transat pilots have a tentative contract

by B. N. Sullivan

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) announced that they have signed a tentative contract agreement with the airline's management, following more than eight months of negotiations.  Details will not be made public until ratification is complete.  A ratification vote will take place in early October.

“With unwavering support from our Union, ALPA Int’l, and the full backing of the Association’s resources, we were able to achieve our contract goals,” said Capt. Sylvain Aubin, chairman of the Air Transat unit of ALPA. “The Air Transat MEC is hopeful that the membership will ratify the agreement and we look forward to implementing a new collective agreement with the Company if it is ratified by our members.”

ALPA responds to Comair plans for drastic fleet reduction, crew furloughs

by B. N. Sullivan

Last week, U.S. regional airline Comair, a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, announced plans for a drastic reduction of its aircraft fleet over the coming two years.  The carrier plans to retire 49 of its 93 aircraft, including most of its 50-seat CRJ 100s and 200s, by the end of 2012.  Furloughs are sure to follow.

Today, Comair management was scheduled to meet with union leaders from several of its work groups, including representatives of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and Teamsters Local 513.

Capt. Matt Lamparter, chairman of the Comair unit of ALPA released the following statement today:

“Obviously, we are deeply disappointed by the company’s plans to restructure the airline. However, our commitment has been and remains to our pilots and to protecting our contract, our jobs, and our futures.

“We intend to use the full array of ALPA resources to ensure that any downsizing of the company will have the input of our pilot group and will respect our contract. We have scheduled meetings with Comair management and plan to be a full partner as this restructuring moves forward.

“Despite the heavy burden of this announcement, Comair pilots will continue to demonstrate the professionalism and solidarity—both in the cockpit and out—that built this airline and carried it through a bankruptcy and a strike. As before, when faced with challenges, this pilot group has overcome and succeeded. Although the situation is different, our goal is the same: a strong and unified pilot group and a successful airline.”

Comair has not yet made public the number of crew and ground staff jobs that will be cut in the course of the restructuring.  Expect to hear about voluntary severance offers and furloughs in the near future.

Blaming the victim: Compass Airlines flight attendant fired for revealing her low income qualified her for food stamps

by B. N. Sullivan

If this isn't a classic case of blaming the victim, I don't know what is:  A Compass Airlines flight attendant has lost her job because she dared to say publicly that, due to her low wages, she qualified for food stamps.  The flight attendant was fired by the regional carrier after revealing in an interview on a local television show that she had been approved for food stamps in order to compensate for her low income.

Even though the flight attendant worked a full-time schedule at Compass Airlines, she was paid poverty-level wages.  She applied for food stamps to supplement her inadequate income -- and she certainly is not the only poorly paid flight attendant to have done so -- but she didn't keep her mouth shut about it.  She spoke out about her situation during a television interview.

Oh, the audacity!  You are SO fired for revealing the dirty secret that the airline pays many of its line employees so poorly that they can't make ends meet without public assistance.

Since late 2009, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA)  has represented the flight attendants at Compass Airlines, which conducts regional flying on behalf of Delta Air Lines.  Currently, the AFA is  engaged in contract negotiations with Compass Airlines for their first agreement.  At present, Compass flight attendants are paid at or near the minimum wage with a starting flight attendant annually making between $13,842 ($1,153.50/month) and $15,453 ($1,287.75/month), according to the union. That would make most Compass flight attendants eligible for assistance.

Well, you might think to yourself, if the job pays so poorly that the flight attendant had to apply for food stamps, why didn't she just quit and get another job?

Right.  Good jobs are plentiful just now.  If she left her job at Compass Airlines, she probably could have her pick among many well-paying jobs.  Not!!

While I don't know this particular flight attendant and her circumstances, I do know that many flight attendants are thankful that they have a job -- any job, even a poorly paid one -- in the current economic climate.  Which is worse?  Being employed in a low-paying job and having your meager income supplemented with food stamps?  Or being unemployed, with dim prospects in these times, and the risk of ending up on the welfare rolls?  You decide.

You also might wonder why this flight attendant took the job in the first place.  I mean, she must have known about the low pay before she signed on.  But who can say what her aspirations were, or what her situation was at the time she began working for Compass Airlines, and who knows how that situation may have changed in the meantime.  There might be any number of reasons why a person would accept a low-paying position, but that is not the point here.

The point is that the flight attendant in question spoke publicly about her low pay and her struggle to make ends meet, and was terminated by her employer for doing so.  That is just wrong.  It's not like airline pay scales are a closely guarded trade secret.  More likely it's that Compass Airlines was embarrassed by the public revelation that they do not pay their front-line workers a living wage.  So, as punishment for embarrassing her employer, the flight attendant was fired.

As I said at the outset, it looks to me like a clear case of  "Blame the victim."

Addressing this case, Patricia Friend, AFA-CWA International President said, "Poverty is not a crime and it is despicable that Compass Airlines would fire an employee for speaking the truth.  Unfortunately there are flight attendants across the country who have to rely on federal and state assistance to make ends meet.  Instead of paying hardworking flight attendants a living wage, airline management would rather shame them and make them fear for their jobs."

The AFA is calling for Compass Airlines to immediately reinstate this flight attendant.  I, too, hope they do so.

UPDATE Sep 3, 2010: From AFA:  Compass Airlines Flight Attendants will protest poverty level wages:

"You Can’t Silence the Truth – Give Kirsten Arianejad’s Job Back"

• Tuesday, September 7, 2010
• Time: 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
• Picketing: Across from ticketing – upper level; Minneapolis – St. Paul International Airport; Minneapolis, MN

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

Aer Lingus cabin crew plan work-to-rule industrial action later this month

by B. N. Sullivan

IMPACT, the union that represents cabin crew at Irish carrier Aer Lingus, announced that its membership have voted overwhelmingly in favor of an industrial action, claiming that the airline unilaterally imposed contract changes last month. Aer Lingus cabin crew are not planning a strike; rather, they will work within their their existing contracts, i.e., the contract that was in place up until the time of this dispute.

According to the union, 67% of Aer Lingus cabin staff submitted ballots; of those, 96% were in favor of the work-to-rule plan, and only 4% against.

In a press release, IMPACT officials explained the union's position:

The dispute between cabin crew and Aer Lingus arose when management unilaterally imposed massive changes to working arrangements, supposedly to achieve the objective of 850 flying (or ‘block’) hours a year as part of cabin crews’ overall working time. Full-time cabin crew are currently contracted to work a 39-hour week, although they are only paid for 35 hours under an earlier productivity concession.

Cabin crew have accepted the requirement to increase flying hours to 850 a year, as part of overall working time, as set out in an agreed ‘Greenfield’ cost saving plan. They have not voted to accept the changes imposed by management last month.

Proposals for further changes to existing rules to achieve the annual 850 flying hours have been the subject of a Labour Relations Commission process, involving IMPACT and Aer Lingus management, as required under the ‘Greenfield’ plan agreed by management and unions.

But last month the company breached the ‘Greenfield’ agreement by unilaterally abolishing the existing agreed rules on working time and imposing new rosters based on minimum legal protections. These allow cabin crew to work 60 hours over a seven-day period, including long shifts without breaks.

IMPACT official Christina Carney said the ‘Greenfield’ plan, which was brokered by the Labour Relations Commission and accepted by cabin crew in a ballot in March 2010, did not contain the roster changes imposed by the company. Neither did it allow the company to arbitrarily impose changes to contracts or working rules. The union also says the imposition of the legal minimum rules is unnecessary to achieve the agreed changes and is contrary to practices used in most airlines.

Ms Carney said: “The 850-hours flying time can be achieved by agreeing changes to the existing working rules rather than abandoning them. June 2010 was the airline’s most successful month ever in terms of passenger numbers and yields, and that was achieved on the basis of existing contracts. For staff, this was a cause for celebration and continued commitment to working together to maintain the company’s success, in part by finishing the negotiations on an agreed implementation of increased flying hours. But management instead abandoned the negotiation and arbitration process being brokered by the Labour Relations Commission and unilaterally imposed unnecessary changes that nobody has voted on, let alone agreed, and which would leave cabin crew working 60 hours in seven days,” she said.

Aer Lingus responded with this statement:

Aer Lingus notes the outcome of the Impact Cabin Crew ballot. While we are at a loss to understand why another ballot was necessary, we welcome the decision by Impact Cabin Crew to work to their contracts and in particular the public confirmation earlier today by Impact that all cabin crew will work to the agreed 850 flight hours per year. These elements have always been an intrinsic part of the overall Greenfield cost saving plan and we welcome this clarification.

We continue to be party to the arbitration process however we will continue to gradually phase in the agreed productivity levels so that we can realign the cost base of the Company and position Aer Lingus for a successful future for the benefit of our staff, our shareholders and the travelling public.

IMPACT officials have stated that the union "is available for talks with the company or the State’s industrial relations bodies."

The union says their planned action will have no impact on flight schedules in and out of Ireland, and that this will not change "unless management escalates the dispute by taking disciplinary action against one or more cabin crew members for working within their existing contracts."

Contract negotiations begin for FedEx pilots

by B. N. Sullivan

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents the pilots at FedEx Express, announced today that contract negotiations have begun between the union and FedEx management.

The ALPA FedEx MEC said in a statement to the press that the pilots "are prepared for a focused bargaining on a limited number of significant issues."

Unlike the prolonged bargaining which produced contracts ratified in 1999 and 2006, ALPA expects a much more timely process.

“Our leadership team believes that our last contract negotiation took far too long to conclude. We fully expect that with the cooperation of FedEx Express management and the resolve of our pilot group, we will reach a deal that will be beneficial to us and the company. The bargaining of contracts over years instead of months is a broken model which is beneficial to neither side,” said Captain Scott Stratton, chairman of the ALPA unit at FedEx.

This will be the FedEx pilots' third collectively bargained contract.

SkyWest moves to acquire ExpressJet and merge it with ASA

by B. N. Sullivan

SkyWest Inc. and Express Jet Holdings, Inc. announced today that they had signed "a definitive merger agreement" whereby SkyWest will acquire ExpressJet and merge it with SkyWest subsidiary Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA). The parties hope to close the deal by the end of this year, subject to regulatory approval.

In a press release about the merger deal, George Bravante, Chairman of the ExpressJet Board, said that "the combined airline will be able to provide a stable, platform for growth for ExpressJet employees after this transaction closes."

More from the ExpressJet press release:

It is anticipated that the combined airline will maintain significant operational presence in each of the hubs ExpressJet currently serves, including Continental's current hubs in Houston, Newark/New York and Cleveland, as well as hubs in Chicago O'Hare and Washington Dulles for United Airlines. In addition, it is expected that the vast majority of front-line employee positions will not be impacted by the acquisition.

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents ExpressJet's 2,700 pilots, immediately issued a statement about the merger plans. Capt. Chris Cashmareck, chairman of the ExpressJet pilots’ unit of ALPA, said, "Every transaction presents opportunities and risks. We need to review and evaluate the plan for the combined airline before we can commit to taking a position to support or oppose the sale/merger. What I can state unequivocally is that, just as airline mergers over the past few years have shown us, it will take pilot involvement and support to realize any true measure of success for this or any transaction."

The pilots union for ExpressJet sent a letter to ExpressJet Holdings management stating the fundamental requirements for support of a sale/merger. Among them are the following:

• the transaction must result in a profitable airline that provides long term stability and progressive career potential for our pilots;
• the transaction must fully honor the scope and successorship provision of our collective bargaining agreement;
• management must commit to negotiating a joint collective bargaining agreement with all involved parties that benefits all pilots; and
• there must be a fair and equitable seniority list integration.

It should be noted that once this merger is realized, SkyWest Inc., the parent of both SkyWest Airlines and ASA, will be the world's largest regional airline company, with a combined fleet of aircraft numbering nearly 700.

SkyWest, Inc. also may be interested in further expansion. According to a Bloomberg article, SkyWest "would consider purchasing Comair from Delta Air Lines Inc. and said U.S. commuter carriers may benefit from further consolidation."