negotiations. Yesterday afternoon, AAWW President and CEO Bill Flynn and AtlasAir’s Vice President of Flight Operations Jeff Carlson made an about face and informed us that AAWW does not intend to merge Florida West into a single operation with Southern Air and Atlas/Polar, and that it intends to operate Florida West separatelyfrom – and as a parallel operation to – Southern and Atlas. In other words, AAWW intends to operate Florida West as a double-breasted airline to whipsaw the Atlas/Polar and Southern pilots in order to reduce our wages, benefits and job protections.
Mr. Flynn’s announcement regarding Florida West is no less than a declaration of war against the Atlas and Southern Teamsters by AAWW and its leadership. Earlier this year, Mr. Flynn, in a face-to-face meeting with International Brotherhood of Teamsters President James P. Hoffa, stated that AAWW would not attempt to undermine the Teamster-represented Atlas/Polar and Southern pilots by operating any of its carriers, including Florida West, in a parallel, i.e., double-breasted operation. Mr. Flynn did not speak the truth to President Hoffa. His true intentions have now risen to the surface, and it is all too clear that AAWW not only intends to undermine our wages, benefits and other contractual protections, but will say and do anything to achieve their objective. As part of AAWW’s plan, Atlas Air, Inc.’s John Dietrich and Captain Carlson previously terminated our RLA Section 6 negotiations, and Mr. Flynn, in his letter today, has reiterated that this is AAWW’s position going forward.
It is truly disheartening that AAWW is proceeding down its amalgamation rabbit holeand seeking an arbitrator to rescue it from legitimate collective bargaining. AAWW has repeatedly stated that it seeks to avoid legitimate collective bargaining so that an arbitrator will impose contract terms on us. AAWW’s amalgamation–arbitration strategy is designed to deprive us of our right to vote on our next contract. We were deprived of the right to vote on our last contract and now they are attempting to do it again. We must learn from past history and be vigilant in our efforts to combat their strategy. Do not be misled when Messrs. Flynn, Dietrich, Carlson or anyone else tell you that they are following our contract. They are not following the contract and are instead ignoring its terms and the law by maneuvering to get an arbitrator to impose contract terms on you again, with no right to vote on the matter.
Faced with AAWW’s stubborn refusal to bargain with us directly in RLA Section 6 negotiations, we had no choice but to file for mediation with the National Mediation Board (NMB) late yesterday afternoon. This move was made to protect our rights to vote on the next CBA. It is clear that the company is unwilling to engage in any good faith direct negotiations with us; thus we invoked the NMB’s RLA jurisdiction. We steadfastly intend to bargain for an RLA sanctioned, new, amended and lawful contract as the law requires. We will not be deterred in our quest to make sure you are able tovote on the next CBA… that you vote on your future, that you get the chance to decide what is acceptable, and that your aviation career, future and your life not be decided by a third party or by a company that is simply interested in protecting its bottom line and disgustingly large salaries and bonuses for its corporate officers.
I ask you to consider why AAWW and Messrs. Flynn, Dietrich and Carlson are so afraid of giving their pilots a fair choice and a chance to decide on their future. Why do they persist on wasting time and money trying to avoid any legitimate bargaining and deprive us of our right to negotiate and vote upon the terms of our contract? I believe the answers to these questions are clear. The pilots are united in our cause for a fair, legitimate contract, and you fully recognize that AAWW wants to cheat you out of it. I ask you to look in the mirror and decide for yourself if you want to fight back or be left stranded by tyranny and greed. It is time to unite to become even stronger and with even more resolve. It will now take all of us to protect ourselves. Voting and deciding on your fate is an American right. Taking that right away for greed and self-aggrandizement is the opposite.
It is now more critical that all of you vote to give your leadership a complete 100% vote on the upcoming strike vote.
Fraternally,
Bob Kirchner
Atlas Executive Council Chairman
APA Teamsters Local 1224
