A special meeting has been called by the PIT and BOS representatives for Friday, March 3.
The representatives in PIT and BOS have given notice that they will attempt to rescind the decision made by the MEC last Friday - which sent the Interim Agreement on Regional Jets (LOA #79) out for a membership vote.
What has changed in three days? ...How about four Local Council Representatives. Apparently, PIT and BOS feel that these new representatives will be willing to side with them.
All eyes are on the MEC and its new representatives which take office March 1:
These gentlemen will spend their third day in office as ALPA representatives debating whether or not the RJ decision should remain in the hands of the pilots.
And the stakes are high...
Not only is the regional jet (or lack thereof) having a measurable impact on US Airways, but the availability of 35 regional jets (which this agreement covers) are a rare find these days. A key point is that these 35 delivery positions are owned by other carrier(s). US Airways has the ability to contract with those carrier(s) in a code share arrangement, but these aircraft are not available for ownership by US Airways or its wholly owned commuter carriers. The availability of regional jet aircraft can keep the regional jet out of the hands of US Airways for quite some time to come, even if a larger RJ deal is reached in the near future between ALPA and Management.
And, the MEC did send the deal back once already. Last week, the MEC charged the Negotiating Committee with going back for more (just in case there were any crumbs remaining on the bargaining table). Nothing changed.
The Interim Agreement on Regional Jets (LOA #79) includes a higher minimum block hour guarantee which will protect pilot jobs, industry leading scope language which introduces a new 50 seat limit, preferential hiring for the pilots at the wholly owned commuter carriers, a guarantee that any larger RJ deal will contain at least a bidirectional flow-through agreement and a delay of the parity review. Roadshows are planned. More information on this agreement and on the MEC's action this Friday will be available on this site.
An unsuccessful resolution to the current negotiations between the Flight Attendants and Management MAY result in pilot furloughs. Laws govern the amount of notice that employees must be given prior to furlough. Current information indicates that in this situation, a 60 day notice is required before an employee can be furloughed. Management has advised ALPA that furloughs MAY be a result of the bargaining situation, but furlough notices HAVE NOT been sent.