June 24, 1999
Tonight’s hotline items include:
- MEC Urges Boycott of
First Officers as Instructor program - MEC response to Uniform
memo from Chief Pilot - Deal cutting
- Flight Pay Loss
- Other Publications
- PBS Update
- Maestro Home Access
printing problems - Local Council meeting
- New Pilot To Pilot
volunteers
In last week’s Hotline Update, the MEC expressed its disapproval of the
company’s First Officer as Instructor program. Our fundamental concern is with the
quality of pilot training at America West in general, and with the quality of captain
upgrade and transition training in particular. Ideally, an instructor of captain-trainees
should have command experience as a captain at America West. In its current form, the
program guarantees that recruits will have had NO command experience at America West.
There is no guarantee that they will have had command experience at all.
MEC Urges Boycott of
First Officers as Instructor program
Meetings with
management are ongoing. Until America West and the MEC mutually agree on parameters under
which this program should operate, no ALPA member should volunteer to participate as an
instructor, and any member who is currently participating should withdraw from the program
as soon as practicable, but no later than Bid Period 156.
We have prepared an
issue of Just The Facts that discusses this issue in more depth. It was mailed from the
ALPA print shop today to all members’ homes. It is also available on the Web site at
www.awalpa.org, as well as the America West ALPA Forum on CompuServe. It has been emailed
to all subscribers of the Pilotnews electronic mailing list.
MEC Response to Uniform
Memo from Chief Pilot
The MEC has responded in writing to Chief Pilot J. R. Baker’s communiqu� regarding
personal appearance and company uniform policy. In a letter to the chief pilot, MEC
Chairman Don Steinman illustrates that the new policy is at odds with contract and FOM
language regarding the definition of a pilot’s duty day. Although the MEC would be
pleased to promote an effective set of policies designed to enhance the professional
appearance of America West pilots, effective, and enforceable, policies are not reflected
in the June 21 memo.
Captain Steinman’s
letter has been copied to all pilots via the T-4 ALPA bulletin board, the website, the
Pilotnews electronic mailing list, and CompuServe.
Cutting Deals
The MEC again wishes to stress that it disapproves, in the strongest terms, of pilots
cutting deals with Crew Scheduling. By cutting deals, the most common of which are listed
below, you sabotage our collective effort to enforce the contract and help to mask the
company’s staffing problems. The most common “deals” are:
- Accepting cash in lieu
of bank time - Selling back vacation,
or flying during vacation, except as provided for in 7.C.3 - Accepting rest of less
than 9:15 (day trip RON) or 11:00 (night trip RON), or less than 10:00 at domicile (line
holder) or 11:00 at domicile (reserve). - Accepting over 90 credit
hours in a JA situation - Exceeding contractual
duty limitation under Section 12.C (line holder or reserve), or LOA 13.N5 (reserve release
time requirement).
The issues of MEC Directions and PBS on the Line mentioned in last
week’s Hotline Update were distributed to all T4 mailboxes today. They are also be
available on the Web site at www.awalpa.org.
Management has
instructed schedulers to comply with the contract. Pilots should do the same. Remember, a
“deal” is by definition a voluntary effort on the pilot’s part. If
scheduling issues a mandatory assignment that you believe may violate the contract,
accepting it does not constitute a deal, but refusing it could lead to discipline that may
be upheld even if the arbitrator agrees that the assignment was a contract violation. In
such a case, point out how you believe the assignment to be in violation. If the scheduler
persists, fly the trip, but note the scheduler’s name, time, date, and phone line,
and relay the information to Scheduling Committee Chairman Fred Eccles.
Flight Pay Loss
The Flight Pay loss campaign has been a tremendous success, and continues to bring in
much-needed money to help offset our Flight Pay loss budget expenses. However, many of you
have yet to make a contribution. Your donation of one hour per year of credit greatly
helps the MEC reduce the costs of having volunteers released from trips for ALPA business.
If you need a donation form, please call the MEC office at 602-306-1208 or 800-MEC-AWAL.
Publications
PBS Update
Maestro Home Access
printing problems
Because of the
vendor’s slow response we have enlisted the help of Manager of Crew Resources Kim
Hopkins. Ms. Hopkins is supportive of our position and is working with Captain Brummett
get this issue resolved. All those who have sent in reports of printer problems will be
notified when the problems are fixed. If you are having problems printing with Maestro
Home Access, and have not contacted ALPA, email your name, telephone number, the type of
printer, and the error message you get to Captain Brummett at [email protected]
Local Council
meeting
New Pilot To Pilot
volunteers
Duane Eugene Pounder,
Garry Dion, and Stephen Gay are new volunteers. Several more will be announced shortly.
The Pilot-to-Pilot program is another way of distributing accurate news and information
about current ALPA issues to the pilot group. If you would like to volunteer, or learn
more about the program, contact Captain David Weeks or Communications Specialist Yvette
Freeman.
That concludes this
week’s update.
Wear your ALPA pin.
Attend a council meeting. Get involved with your union, and remember, unity begins today
for Contract 2000.
The next scheduled
hotline update will be Thursday, July 1st.
| MEC Hotline | ||
| This is Communications Committee Chairman David Weeks with the MEC Hotline update for Thursday, June 24, 1999.
|