This Terry Stadler with the MEC Hotline
for Friday, April 18th, 2003. Tonight’s topics include:
1. Equipment Bid 02-12
2. Communication Meeting
3. Media Training/Executive Council meeting
4. Jump Seat Update
5. Industry Observations and AWA
1. Equipment Bid 02-12
Andrew Shostack and I met with the Vice
President of Flight Ops and the Director of Crew Resources on Wednesday
to discuss the recently cancelled equipment bid 02-12. The Company
announced that they were going to cancel this bid based on new crew
forecasts that no longer support the need for these Captain positions.
In taking this action, the company is also going to pay protect affected
First Officers in accordance with the contract that were not trained in
seniority order and will be returning to the right seat. It is our
position based on language in Contract 95 that the Company cannot cancel
the bid after it has been awarded. A postponement of training would
preserve the integrity of the bid and seniority while pay protecting
those individuals that were not trained in seniority order. This will
also allow the company to evaluate the staffing needs in what we see as
a rather fluid industry.
2. Communication Update
Wednesday, April 15 2003,
representatives from the ALPA National Communication Department met in
Phoenix with the MEC. Present from ALPA National were David Berkley,
Manager of Communication, Ron Lovas, Senior Communication Specialist,
and Rusty Ayers, Communication Specialist. Also present at the all day
conference were Andrew Shostack, Scott Andrews, Council 62 Chairman and
Captain Representative, Misty Winker, Council 62 First Officer
Representative, and Mark Burman, Communication Committee Chairman.
The purpose of the meeting was to
develop a short and long-term communication strategy for the MEC. Some
of the topics discussed included:
1) Rebuilding and strengthening the
communication infrastructure for the MEC: The focus will be through the
Communication Committee Chairman, using all communication tools
available.
2) The importance of information
gathering; (e.g., crew room, polling data (Wilson), interactive online
survey�s of the membership for database development and use.) With the
purpose being to insure that the MEC always has the pulse of the pilot
group.
3) Communicating MEC representational
goals: The MEC, regardless of what the subject matter is, should always
be working towards the betterment of Council 62 pilots.
One of the challenges we are faced with
is the subject of trust and credibility. The MEC recognizes that without
trust and credibility, the work ahead will be difficult. With the strong
support of the ALPA National Communication team, this issue will be a
top priority for your MEC.
It was also decided that the
Communications personnel will prepare a detailed communication plan for
discussion at the next regularly scheduled MEC meeting. Once the plan is
finalized and adopted by the MEC, you will then see the true beginning
of our new communications strategy that will ensure that you, the line
pilots, are properly informed of critical information affecting your job
here at AWA.
3. Media Training/Executive Council
meeting
The MEC Officers and Members, along
with the Communication Committee Chairman, will be attending Media
Training at the ALPA National Office in Herndon April 22 and 23, 2003.
One of the important functions of your leadership is to represent you,
the pilots of Council 62, in the public eye. This training is an
important part of that process.
At the conclusion of the training, MEC
Secretary/Treasurer Ted Phipps and I will be attending the Executive
Council meeting. We will have an opportunity to brief the Executive
Council on the status of negotiations, the rejected TA, and our plan for
the future of this local council.
4. Jump Seat Update
Thursday morning the Mesa MEC Chairman and Jump Seat Committee Chairman
met with Marty Quick and me. An active and spirited discussion revolved
around expanding the current AWA Flight Operations Manual flight deck
privileges from Mesa only pilots to Air Midwest and Freedom Air
codeshare partners. Once the FAA regulatory issues are resolved, further
talks will be held on this subject.
Although the Air Midwest resolution may be without contention, a
potential Freedom Air codeshare jumpseat agreement with AWA is not
without its challenges. Freedom Air now has the core group of startup
pilots mixed in with the pilots authorized by ALPA to bid over to
Freedom Air. At this meeting, we identified some areas, which may flow
over to other carriers. As they are identified, they will be
investigated.
The MEC and the Jump Seat Committee encourage all
AWA captains take the time to identify an ALPA authorized Freedom pilot
who seeks jump seat access (they have to ride in the cabin for now).
Please be advised that very inaccurate lists are floating around!
5. Flight Operations Changes
As many of you know, Captain Van Reavie
will be returning to the line after what seems like years in his
position as Senior Director of Flight Standards and Training. Through
his steadfast leadership and devotion to the pilot group, his department
has ensured that our pilots receive the best training available.
Furthermore, through Van�s efforts, his department has assisted many
of our pilots with operational and potential FAA problems. There is no
doubt in anyone�s minds that Van and his staff went the extra distance
to protect our pilots. His efforts have not gone unnoticed and his
departure from Flight Operations management will be missed.
Industry Observations and AWA
This past week has again been very
painful for the industry and AWA. We watched as AWA made massive cuts in
its management structure. In addition, we watched as another carrier,
American Airlines, went through the exercise of cutting cost with great
human sacrifice mostly on their unionized labor. Again we unfortunately
saw that once the process was complete information came out that senior
AA management had protected them selves by establishing a financial
trust for their retirement plans. Credibility and trust once again took
a major hit by this incredulous stunt. The actions of others often have
the unfortunate ability to taint the reputations of good people not even
associated with an event. We stand by our commitment as expressed last
week in this hotline to give AWA management the time to re-establish a
relationship of trust with this pilot group.
The cost reduction plan announced weeks
ago, and the reduction in management personnel this week are clear
messages that we are in rough water and the ride is not going to improve
in the near term. This MEC is requesting the membership actively put
every effort into efficient operational performance. On time performance
with under fuel burn is our message that we will carry our fair share of
the load in these difficult times. The currency of payment in these
current times is adherence to Contract 95, and we are encouraged that
management in the pilot scheduling department this week asked us to
immediately report any attempt by schedulers to bypass the undisputed
sections of the scheduling section. We therefore are asking you to call
your Status Reps or the Grievance Committee should you encounter this
problem.
Next Hotline Message will be next
Friday, April 25.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pilots
Only |
|
|
MEMBER
LOGON |
|
|
|
|
|
Public
Links |
|