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Northwest, pilots reach deal on staffing
In an effort to restore more reliable service, the carrier and its union worked out a deal to offer pilots some workplace incentives.
By Liz Fedor, Star Tribune
Northwest Airlines, in an attempt to restore reliable flight operations, on Wednesday reached a tentative agreement with its pilots union to address pilot staffing problems and announced that it will pay bonuses to employees who have perfect attendance through Labor Day.
Also CEO Doug Steenland took responsibility for the airline's poor operational performance this summer and said that management had underestimated the negative effects that some aspects of its 2006 labor contracts would have on employees.
The Eagan-based carrier was forced to cancel several hundred flights in late June and again in late July because it did not have enough pilots to fly its full schedule.
"I would and the company would acknowledge that mistakes were made" by management, Steenland said in an interview.
Under a concessionary contract negotiated last year in bankruptcy, maximum pilot flight hours were increased from 80 to 90 hours a month. That change, steep pay cuts and new work rules led to a higher rate of pilots calling in sick this summer.
The new tentative agreement will pay Northwest pilots 150 percent of their pay rate for any flying of more than 80 hours per month.
"It gives incentives to pilots who may want to fly additional hours," said Monty Montgomery, a spokesman for the Northwest branch of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).
He added that the new provision also addresses the concerns of pilots who feel they have been spending too much time away from their families since the new contract took effect. This week's agreement would give those pilots the flexibility to bid for flight hours closer to 80 a month, instead of the 88 to 90 hours that the company has been requiring.
The pilots union's executive council is expected to vote Saturday on the agreement.
The serial flight cancellations -- Northwest cut nearly 12 percent of its flight schedule in late June and about 8 percent of its flights in late July -- have badly damaged the carrier's reputation with many customers and made the airline the subject of ridicule. On NBC's Tuesday evening newscast, the company's operational problem was labeled as a "meltdown," and anchor Brian Williams referred to the cancellations as a "cancer."We recognize we inconvenienced a lot of folks. We let them down. We are extending an apology," Steenland said.
On Wednesday, the airline said it was creating a "Summer Reliability Incentive Program" to try to ensure that it has as many workers on the job as possible for the remainder of the summer. All union employees will be eligible for bonus pay of as much as $1,000 for perfect attendance from Saturday through Sept. 3, Northwest said.
Steenland said that he is trying to repair some of the damage that was caused when the airline negotiated cost-cutting contracts in bankruptcy with its labor unions.
In the case of the pilots' contract, he said, executives did not analyze how some changes would affect the pilots' work and family lives.
"We are making some changes in recognition that sometimes, what things look like on a piece of paper and what they look like in real life are different," Steenland said.
ALPA's Montgomery called the new agreement "a small, but positive, step toward recovering our careers."
Steenland said the airline's previous decision to reduce its flying schedule by 4 percent in August also should enable the carrier to operate more reliably this month.
In addition, he said, furloughed pilots have been rejoining the carrier in recent months. By the end of August 270 of those furloughed pilots will be back in Northwest cockpits, Steenland said.
The tentative agreement also includes higher pay for pilots who work as flight instructors. "We always had those types of incentives for our instructors in the past," Montgomery said.
The carrier said recently that it plans to hire 250 to 350 pilots within the next 12 months.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RockBottom
Steenland said that he is trying to repair some of the damage that was caused when the airline negotiated cost-cutting contracts in bankruptcy with its labor unions.
In the case of the pilots' contract, he said, executives did not analyze how some changes would affect the pilots' work and family lives.
"We are making some changes in recognition that sometimes, what things look like on a piece of paper and what they look like in real life are different," Steenland said.
What are the chances that quote will help out with the next contract negotiation? Not only NWA but across the industry?
That is pretty staggering to think that an airline mngmt type would accept responsibilty for anything. This is good news, no matter how small.
It is nice to see continued signs of mngmt under pressure to fix things.
An article in the business section of the 8/2 Anchorage Daily News quotes CEO Steenland where he states he "acknowledged it (Northwest) violated the trust of customers who made travel plans with Northwest".... No mention of looking closer to home about violating the trust of its employees by distributing an idiotic brochure, screwing the workers, then reward the managers with a bonus. Arrogance, ignorance, don't care, greed,...take your pick.
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It's definitely in the right direction. However, a $1000.00 'incentive' seems paltry at best...a bit insulting.
Also, from the other site:
"Now, my question would be this: In light of the agreement to bid a lower amount of hours, isn't this a pay cut and a play into their hands? Not to be a downer, but having worked there, I know that the schedules will now be built (assuming proper staffing levels are achieved) so as to fly in the 80ish hour range. What guarantees did you get to help offset the extra 10+ hours everyone is flying now? Isn't the company winning here? I'm afraid that once they get some more pilots in there, there will never be a need to build anyone's schedule to anything beyond the min. In effect, a 10 hour shave. Of course all of the furloughees will be back, so there won't be any need for high time flying and that doesn't effect staffing anyway, so there you go! Oops, did I just say that out loud? Just wondering..."
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NWA, pilots reach deal on staffing
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