Okay, I’m on a rant this morning. Just read a Reuters piece by Kyle Peterson that was posted on USAToday.com.
In this piece entitled, “Pilot frustration mounts over US Airways merger” Peterson claims, “While the intra-union seniority debate rages, ALPA also is trying to reach agreement with US Airways on a contract that covers both pilot groups.”
That’s not exactly the case.
He then goes on to infer that US Airways might not be in a hurry to negotiate a contract — given the fact that a new contract would cost the airline more money.
Trust me. Management at US Airways knows that a single contract situation will save the company money. But, as CEO Doug Parker has said over and over, the company is not going to pay more than what is equivalent to a “cost neutral” contract — compared to the existing US Airways (West) contract.
Oh, and yes — that type of contract would also pay US Airways’ (East) pilots more money — because management at US Airways has already said it will take the existing US Airways (West) contract (which is more lucrative) and apply it to the pilots at US Airways (East).
But the major point here is this. And this is what Mr. Peterson’s article did not say. NO contract is going to be successfully negotiated as long as the US Airways (East) pilots are fighting the ALPA arbitration seniority award. Period.
Interesting also that Peterson did not talk to the US Airways (West) MEC Chairman for his piece — he only talked to Jack Stephan, who is head of the US Airways (East) group. Needless to say, there is a big difference in opinion between Mr. Stephan and his cohorts on the other side.
I don’t think Peterson makes this distinction clearly enough in his article. Rather, he implies that 1) the pilots are fighting over seniority. And 2) the airline is in no hurry to come to terms on a new contract. Conclusion: “Pilot Frustration Mounts Over US Airways Merger.”
No, the US Airways (East) pilots are fighting over seniority in what is basically an intra-ALPA cat fight. The US Airways (West) pilots aren’t stalling the process at all.
And two, management at US Airways is fully aware that a single contract is to the benefit of the airline. But that doesn’t mean they are going to roll over and give away the store in negotiations either.
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