August 6, 1998
ALPA, Intl
Committees
PBS Tentative Agreement
On Monday afternoon the MEC approved a tentative agreement, negotiated with management,
that resolves the contractual road-blocks to PBS. 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 to “captain no-fly,” PBS system implementation, and professional
standards. Yesterday afternoon copies of the three side letters, plus an issue of Just The
Facts summarizing the changes, were distributed to T-4 pilot boxes.
Please read this language carefully. Note that 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. In other
words, a pilot will be able bid for and be awarded a 77-hour line, seniority permitting,
even if the pilot is carrying 10:30 negative bank. 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.
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. Ballots will be mailed to all member pilots in
mid-August, with a postmark deadline of August 31.
The MEC, the Negotiating Committee, and the PBS Committee
and staff are presenting the changes at a series of road shows throughout the month. The
next presentation will be Friday, August 7th at Terminal 4 beginning at 8:00 a.m. in the
meeting room adjacent to the food court. Next week’s presentations are scheduled on
Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th. Tuesday’s presentation will begin at 1:00 p.m. at
the Holiday Inn Airport, 44th St and Washington in Phoenix. Wednesday’s also be at the
Holiday Inn, beginning at 9:00 a.m. The entire road show schedule is in the issue of Just
The Facts that was distributed this week. Note, also, that 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 again acknowledge the
huge effort undertaken by Negotiating Committee Chairman Pete Neff and Vice Chairman Doug
Dotter along with the rest of the ALPA team. And, importantly, 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.
Northwest Pilot Negotiations
Last week, the National Mediation Board declared Northwest Airlines and its pilots at
impasse in their contract negotiations. The parties are now a little over a week into
their thirty-day cooling off period, scheduled to end on August 29th. It’s unlikely that
any news will emerge prior to the third week of August. Of course, the Mediation Board may
release the parties to self-help after August 29th if an agreement is not reached. The MEC
has been and will remain in contact with the Northwest pilots, as well as the national
leadership, as the story develops.
ALPA Board of Directors Council 62 Restructuring
Ballots
On Monday, August 10th, ballots will be counted in Herndon in the vote by the ALPA Board
of Directors on our Council restructuring ballot. If the resolution passes, elections will
be held this fall to nominate and elect two captain representatives, two first officer
representatives, and an LEC secretary-treasurer, who will take office on March 1st of next
year. If the BOD vote falls short of the two-thirds majority needed to amend the
constitution and by-laws, we will most likely reintroduce the resolution at the BOD
meeting in October. The results of the ballot count next week should be available Monday
afternoon.
The next scheduled hotline will be Monday, August 10th with
the results of the BOD ballot count. In the meantime, please look over the side letter
material and plan to attend a road show presentation.
Stay focused, fly safe, fly the contract, and thanks for
listening.
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| Don Steinman for the MEC: |