Topic of the Week: US Airways Pilots Union Goes Off Again

May 13, 2011 CF 10 comments

The US Airways pilots union is at it again. This week the group claimed a number of safety issues have occurred and it demanded the airline fire its VP of Safety and Compliance. Is this legitimate or is it yet another stupid negotiating tactic? It seems like the latter to me, but what do you think?

Labor Relations, US Airways none

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Written by yo on May 13, 2011. Reply

Another bullet shot in the foot by USAPA. A union formed out of spite for the sole purpose of getting out of their responsibility to live up to their binding arbitration agreement. Bunch of classless goons. America West should have just let US die instead of buying them out.
- Written by Travelnate on May 13, 2011. Reply
  
  and there’s a good chance America West would have been dead too…. USAPA was formed because of repeated failures by ALPA that pretty much gave anything to management that Wolf & Co wanted. RJs, pension, pay cuts, you name it, they gave it up.
Written by JM on May 13, 2011. Reply

Interesting that USAPA has gone public with their concerns, running the risk of driving away paying customers from US Airways.

Also interesting that USAPA doesn’t cite any safety issues or incidents in specific in their press release. The lack of doing so makes me wonder what those issues might be.

Finally, it is very curious that this press release is so targeted towards a specific manager (US’ VP of Safety) and an end (fire the guy!). Methinks politics are at work here.

Questions for Brett (and others): I know that West pilots and East pilots at US work under two separate contracts. So, is ALPA completely out at US Airways? If so, I presume West Pilots have to pay dues to USAPA– even though USAPA doesn’t really represent the best interests of the West pilots?

Not a very happy situation, indeed.

JM
- Written by JM on May 13, 2011. Reply
  
  Clarification: I note that the USAPA press release DOES say that the union sent a list of 17 instances of safety breaches to US Directors, but my point is why did they not make them public in their press release?
  
  They’ve already unzipped their collective “fly”, so to speak, setting themselves up for legal trouble with the airline.
  
  Listing those instances of concern in the press release should have made it more credible, unless…
  
  JM
- Written by CF on May 13, 2011. Reply
  
  That is correct. There were more US East pilots than West, so they were able to kick ALPA off the property against the will of the West pilots. So yes, the West pilots pay dues to a union that is working against their interests.
  - Written by fRANK on May 13, 2011. Reply
    
    Against their interests? NO ONE was supposed to get an advantage over one another with the Nic award. One side did, the west. 18 year (furloughed) guys on the east are now JUNIOR to those on the west, with just a few years. They were stapled. This has been interesting to follow over on USAviation for many years. Interesting debate.
Written by David SF eastbay on May 13, 2011. Reply

What documented proof have they given the Feds to back up what they are saying? If there are safety issues that is who should be notified, and then if found to be true, should be taken care of.
Written by JM on May 13, 2011. Reply

Well, thestreet.com found out about 3 of the 17 “issues” that USAPA is alleging.

Check out this post:
http://www.thestreet.com/story/11115499/1/us-airways-pilots-question-safety-culture.html

JM
Written by Bill on May 13, 2011. Reply

Another union that has lost common sense. They must be using the ‘ Laura Glading’ playbook. [She is president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants]
- Written by David M on May 13, 2011. Reply
  
  Not possible for them to have lost it. USAPA never had any.