US Airways Pilots Sue American Airlines Pilots

derg

derg

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Oh lordy. Here we go again. I supposed they'll press for "binding" arbitration then re-sue? :)


From: http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2014/03/05/us-airways-pilots-sue-american-airlines-pilots/

WASHINGTON (AP) - Pilots for US Airways are suing to have an arbitrator settle a standoff with American Airlines pilots over seniority rights as the two carriers are combined.

The US Airways pilots say they have been unable to agree with the pilots’ union at Fort Worth-based American on how to combine their groups. They’re trying to invoke a federal law that requires arbitration to settle seniority disputes.

Pilots with more seniority earn more by bigger planes on more lucrative routes.

The US Airline Pilots Association last week sued US Airways, American Airlines, and the Allied Pilots Association at American. The new parent company of both airlines, American Airlines Group Inc. declined comment Tuesday.

(© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
 
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On a serious note, I still don't quite understand what's going on. I've read on other boards that once the APA is in charge and USAPA is gone, the APA can avoid Mcaskill-Bond by representing both sides and doing things 'in-house'. If that's true, which I'm not sure it is, then I'm glad USAPA is trying to stop it. If its not true, well then its just another stupid stunt by the leaders...err...idiots in USAPA.
 
CamYZ125 said:
On a serious note, I still don't quite understand what's going on. I've read on other boards that once the APA is in charge and USAPA is gone, the APA can avoid Mcaskill-Bond by representing both sides and doing things 'in-house'. If that's true, which I'm not sure it is, then I'm glad USAPA is trying to stop it. If its not true, well then its just another stupid stunt by the leaders...err...idiots in USAPA.
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What's the merger and transition language say? Does it say that the APA will be the sole representative of the pilot group when the merger is complete? Traditionally there is a vote on this issue. Also, I can't imagine that USAPA would have been stupid enough to give up the right to represent their pilots in the SLI process, what with how much experience they have in the SLI process.
 
jtrain609 said:
What's the merger and transition language say? Does it say that the APA will be the sole representative of the pilot group when the merger is complete? Traditionally there is a vote on this issue. Also, I can't imagine that USAPA would have been stupid enough to give up the right to represent their pilots in the SLI process, what with how much experience they have in the SLI process.
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Everyone knows it's going to be APA and they know that will happen before SLI. What I'm being told from crew room talk is that it's an attempt to go around the McCaskill Bond, and that the issue is that USAPA won't have their own guys on the merger committee for SLI. This afternoon I commute home on a west metal plane so I'll ask those guys their interpretation of what's going on . Both east and west love educating us neutral third listers on what's going on :)
 
CamYZ125 said:
On a serious note, I still don't quite understand what's going on. I've read on other boards that once the APA is in charge and USAPA is gone, the APA can avoid Mcaskill-Bond by representing both sides and doing things 'in-house'. If that's true, which I'm not sure it is, then I'm glad USAPA is trying to stop it. If its not true, well then its just another stupid stunt by the leaders...err...idiots in USAPA.
Click to expand...

It's an interesting case. The MOU signed between the company, USAPA, and APA states that there will be a request to the NMB as soon as possible to certify a single transportation system. So, the APA did that a couple of weeks ago. In RLA parlance, a "single transportation system" would basically mean that one union represents all of the pilots. Since the APA is so much bigger than USAPA, it is unlikely that the NMB will call for an election, and will probably just certify the APA as the single bargaining agent. That usually takes a little while, though, so we're probably looking at another couple of months before it's done.

So, the question becomes, if the APA is representing all of the pilots, then how can USAPA represent the Airways pilots in an integration? USAPA would no longer exist as a legal bargaining agent for anyone. That's basically the way that the APA is looking at it, and it's also how Judge Silver looked at it last month when she discussed the issue in making her ruling that the America West pilots were not entitled to their own separate representatives in the SLI process.

USAPA is arguing that this violates McCaskill-Bond, but I'm not seeing how. McCaskill-Bond simply states that Section 3 & 13 of the Allegheny Mohawk Labor Protective Provisions (LPPs) have to be used to integrate seniority lists. But Section 13.B. states that the employee groups can reach a mutual agreement on a process to use, and I'd say that their MOU qualifies as that alternative process. USAPA basically agreed to allow APA to become their representative.

It will be interesting to see how it works out. But USAPA definitely has the weaker argument of the two.
 
L-16B said:
Everyone knows it's going to be APA and they know that will happen before SLI.
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Cogent analysis right there.

What I'm being told from crew room talk
Click to expand...

I should stop reading right here but...

is that it's an attempt to go around the McCaskill Bond, and that the issue is that USAPA won't have their own guys on the merger committee for SLI.
Click to expand...

Right...how? This isn't 'Nam, there are rules.

This afternoon I commute home on a west metal plane so I'll ask those guys their interpretation of what's going on . Both east and west love educating us neutral third listers on what's going on :)
Click to expand...

You may consider asking one of your reps, who will ask an attorney, who will give you an answer that is more likely correct.
 
jtrain609 said:
Cogent analysis right there.



I should stop reading right here but...



Right...how? This isn't 'Nam, there are rules.



You may consider asking one of your reps, who will ask an attorney, who will give you an answer that is more likely correct.
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Haha that's funny. A USAPA rep responding to a third lister? This is USAPA. The only way they respond to me is if in the title of the email I put DOH RULES!!!!!
 
He's top notch. Probably the best SLI arbitration guy around. And he commands the dollars for it, too. :)

Of course, George Nicolau is also one of the best and most respected arbitrators around, too, and you saw how USAPA threw their little hissy fit after his reasonable ruling.
 
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