The whole letter:
June 14, 2015
(your base reps’ names here) and Seniority List Integration Committee Members,
It has been a good first year at American Airlines. We are excited and optimistic about the future at this great airline, specifically, what it holds for our career. Over this year, we read, researched and supported the information you provided us through the JCBA process. We were not allowed to vote on this contract that shapes the next 5 + of our lives. The lack of unity within APA first showed itself to us in our APA welcome dinner where national representatives told us that we weren’t a concern in the upcoming SLI – in fact, we were told the same thing our returning furloughed brothers and sisters were told when they were hired, “You are coming to American at a great time, you’ll upgrade in 5 years and be widebody captains in 10 years”.
Our first concern is the current pay disparity between us and those that chose to go to LUS. Our occupational date has remained, even under the new JCBA as our training completion date. LUS new hires are given an occupational date of Date of Hire. STILL! That means that they receive the next year pay increase on average 2-3 months before their LAA new hire equivalents. They also immediately begin earning the 16% direct contribution while we have to wait until the first anniversary of our occupational date. Shouldn’t it be a pressing concern to remove these differences now that we are operating under a single contract and single certificate?! It is yet another slap in the face for us to question our career choice.
To give you some background that may not have occurred to you, US Airways has been hiring since late 2010. In fact, prior to December 9, 2013, they hired approximately 750 pilots – all but 50-70 of which were hired under the pre-greenbook contract. The demographics of those pilots – median age of hire was 27, expected to go to the right seat of an Embraer (no other legacy airline flies group 1 aircraft currently). Most came from the right seat of a regional as they could not recruit many of the highly qualified applicants that held out for American. Median hours of new hires were
1800-3000 total time with minimal, if any, pilot in command time. The demographic of the Legacy AA new hires from October 2013 until the hiring process was streamlined in August 2014: median age 40-45, expected to go the right seat of group 2 or group 3 aircraft at an airline that had not hired since 2001, with
6000-10000 median hours total time and
2000-4000 pilot in command hours. The apples to apples comparison of new hires didn’t occur until August 2014 when new hires for both groups went through one hiring and selection process.
We are asking that you continue you efforts to re-unify this pilot group. We are the future of APA and hope those before us (YOU) consider our career goals, expectations, and ramifications of decisions that are made for us and we will, in turn, do the same for those that follow us as well and protect those that proceed us as they enter retirement. We are now coming off of probation and expect to change seats from observers to active members. We don’t expect to be “stapled” to the bottom of the SLI list based on date of hire, nor do we expect to be stapled in front of this LUS “3rd lister” group. We simply ask that our
concerns are spoken for during the process and we are given a fair consideration for seniority integration based on our career expectations.
Finally, we all understand the process of probation and its intent. Unfortunately, the information regarding it is ambiguous at best. The contract language seems clear to us – we are on probation for 1 year from date of hire or 400 credited hours for sequences actually flow; the conclusion of which we are moved from apprentice members to active members of APA garnering full union protections and benefits and removing the ‘at will’ jeopardy of our employment. This is extended day for day for uncovered leaves of absences except military, which is extended day for day for military leaves in excess of 62 consecutive days. Not a single one of us has received clear confirmation of removal from probation. Some have been told by chief pilots that they were removed from probation at the conclusion of their 9 month probationary review, others were told probation will last until the occupational date anniversary and yet others received no information at all. No emails, phone calls or other communication has come from the union regarding the ending or extension of probation. Now that hiring has been going for over 18 months, shouldn’t there be a process where this important milestone is confirmed?
Many of our calls to union officials end with conflicting results and often create more confusion than existed when the call originated. We are the future of American Airlines and specifically, APA, please help us now so we can be fully engaged and unified at our next opportunity to confront management on the deficiencies of our work rules. You are the recipients of this letter because we believe you have invested the most interests in what the pilot group wants.
