August 3, 1998 Hotline

  August 3, 1998

ALPA, Intl

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Late this afternoon the MEC approved a tentative agreement,
negotiated with management, that resolves the contractual road-blocks to PBS, road-blocks
that have kept this pilot group in suspended animation for over three years. This
agreement marks the end of a four-month process that began in April at a meeting with
America West President Richard Goodmanson. At that time, the MEC called on management to
join with the Association at the table to work through our differences on implementing
PBS, and to agree to expedite arbitration on those conflicts we cannot resolve. But more
importantly, this agreement marks the fulfillment of commitments this MEC made to the
pilot group one year ago: commitments to resolve the PBS question once and for all, and to
negotiate permanent solutions–rather than temporary band-aid fixes–to workplace problems
facing America West pilots.

The tentative agreement consists of three side letters
pertaining respectively to “captain no-fly,” PBS system implementation and
testing, and professional standards. The language fully retains both the captain and first
officer no-fly privileges. The language also specifies that ALPA’s interpretation of
negative bank fly-back will govern, an issue with which the Company was at odds since June
of ’95. In other words, the software will not force time onto a pilot’s line if the pilot
is carrying negative bank, regardless of the value. And for the first time in America West
history, pilots will be able to bid for recurrent ground and simulator training events,
rather than having to bid around training events placed arbitrarily on their schedules.

But perhaps most importantly, these side letters will not
be implemented until the pilot group has had the opportunity to read and absorb the
material, and to ratify the changes in a balloted ratification vote.

Over the next few days, the MEC, the Negotiating Committee,
and the Communications Committee and staff will be gearing up to distribute the side
letters, in their final form I might add, and to discuss the changes at a series of road
shows. The first two road shows are scheduled for Thursday and Friday August 6 and 7. The
Thursday presentation will begin at 1:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Airport, 44th St and
Washington in Phoenix. Friday’s presentation will be in Terminal 4 beginning at 8:00 a.m.
in the meeting room adjacent to the food court. Additional road shows will be held
throughout August, with a schedule to be published this week. In addition, a presentation
will made at our next local council meeting on Monday August 24th, at 1:00 p.m. at the
Doubletree Hotel.

I’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the huge
effort undertaken by the ALPA team. Negotiating Committee Chairman Pete Neff and Vice
Chairman Doug Dotter undertook a tremendous challenge and served this pilot group with
distinction. They were ably assisted by the PBS and Professional Standards Committees.
ALPA staff attorneys Andrew Shostack, our Contract Administrator, and Ken Cooper, Asst.
Director of Representation, were instrumental in our successes at the table.

Finally, I’d like to thank you, the pilot group, for your
patience and perseverance over three difficult years. With a resolution to PBS at hand,
plus numerous key grievances slated for arbitration over the next few months, we’re on the
road to resolving many long-standing contract implementation and enforcement issues.

The next scheduled hotline will be Thursday, August 6th.
Look for copies of the side letters in pilot boxes shortly. Stay focused, fly safe, thanks
for your support, and thanks for listening.