Pilot877
Well-Known Member
The president of ACA announced today that there will be an additional 101 pilots furloughed, bringing the total to 197. This pretty much comes up to over 10% of the pilot workforce.
For anybody not familiar with the issues, ACA was unsuccessful in forcing United Airlines to re-affirm our contract to provide United Express service. Because of this, the company has been unable to take scheduled deliveries of CRJ aircraft for which pilots had already been hired and trained to fly. The resulting over-staffing has left the company with no choice but to furlough. The latest word is that we have been able to secure financing for eight more CRJ's, but that has not been officially announced, and the latest furlough announcement came out this very afternoon. Some of the president's letter is posted below, I did not include all of the content, but the reduction of staff announcements are there. Sorry, folks, but the bad times are getting worse.
April 14, 2003
To All ACA Employees,
I know you are aware of the fact that our company is in the midst of a total top-to-bottom cost reduction program—designed to make ACA much more competitive against other regional airlines, and to give us every possible chance of success as we move through this period of extraordinary uncertainty. We are looking at every avenue within all departments for potential cost savings, and have assigned over 40 of our managers to lead these cost reduction projects.
Unfortunately, one of the most unsettling parts of any program like this is the need to reduce our total payroll expenses—through a combination of several initiatives:
· We have reduced salaries and bonuses for senior management, department managers and most salaried employees
· We have indefinitely suspended our $hare the $uccess bonus program
· We have instituted restrictions on hiring—with job postings taking place only with the approval of senior management, and many vacant positions being left open or eliminated altogether
· A total of 96 pilots have been officially notified of a furlough process as outlined by their collective bargaining agreement—and we have notified ALPA that 101 additional pilot furloughs will be required at this point
· A number of other people throughout our entire company have also been notified that their positions are being eliminated as part of a reduction in force (RIF) program. So far, we have eliminated over 50 positions. Through job consolidations, transfers and other adjustments, the total number of people who are actually leaving the company is only about half that total.
· We are also aware that based on our reduced schedule, we have about 90 more customer service employees at IAD than we will need for the ongoing future. These positions will be eliminated as well. Although we are hoping that the majority can be accomplished as the result of voluntary leaves and unfilled open positions, at least some furloughs at Dulles are probably inevitable.
For anybody not familiar with the issues, ACA was unsuccessful in forcing United Airlines to re-affirm our contract to provide United Express service. Because of this, the company has been unable to take scheduled deliveries of CRJ aircraft for which pilots had already been hired and trained to fly. The resulting over-staffing has left the company with no choice but to furlough. The latest word is that we have been able to secure financing for eight more CRJ's, but that has not been officially announced, and the latest furlough announcement came out this very afternoon. Some of the president's letter is posted below, I did not include all of the content, but the reduction of staff announcements are there. Sorry, folks, but the bad times are getting worse.
April 14, 2003
To All ACA Employees,
I know you are aware of the fact that our company is in the midst of a total top-to-bottom cost reduction program—designed to make ACA much more competitive against other regional airlines, and to give us every possible chance of success as we move through this period of extraordinary uncertainty. We are looking at every avenue within all departments for potential cost savings, and have assigned over 40 of our managers to lead these cost reduction projects.
Unfortunately, one of the most unsettling parts of any program like this is the need to reduce our total payroll expenses—through a combination of several initiatives:
· We have reduced salaries and bonuses for senior management, department managers and most salaried employees
· We have indefinitely suspended our $hare the $uccess bonus program
· We have instituted restrictions on hiring—with job postings taking place only with the approval of senior management, and many vacant positions being left open or eliminated altogether
· A total of 96 pilots have been officially notified of a furlough process as outlined by their collective bargaining agreement—and we have notified ALPA that 101 additional pilot furloughs will be required at this point
· A number of other people throughout our entire company have also been notified that their positions are being eliminated as part of a reduction in force (RIF) program. So far, we have eliminated over 50 positions. Through job consolidations, transfers and other adjustments, the total number of people who are actually leaving the company is only about half that total.
· We are also aware that based on our reduced schedule, we have about 90 more customer service employees at IAD than we will need for the ongoing future. These positions will be eliminated as well. Although we are hoping that the majority can be accomplished as the result of voluntary leaves and unfilled open positions, at least some furloughs at Dulles are probably inevitable.