I was in the courtroom today to watch the TWA vs ALPA trial. While I am not well versed in the details of what went on, the witness today was a former Eastern pilot who went to TWA, was the secretary/treasurer, and about #1300 on the TWA seniority list. He explained that aside from AA and TWA there was also the TWA LLC which American owned and that ALPA signed an agreement with american for TWA LLC that the TWA pilots would operate under, however, they took out pilot protections such as there was no amenable date to the agreement which meant the TWA pilots lost leverage in gaining seniority rights. Alpa also removed 9000 hours of lost trip pay protection for their mec members who worked on the merger issues, and worst of all was that ALPA signed this agreement without allowing a ratification vote and claiming "there wasn't enough time". Hello, isn't that against ALPA's own rules? ALPA crammed this agreement down the TWA pilots throats and then cut the legs out from under them by removing their lost trip pay when they needed those funds to fight for themselves, be it merger negotiations, lobying in Washington, or a lawsuit. At this point ALPA was still the bargaining agent for the TWA pilots until such time as there was a determination on single carrier status but instead of helping the TWA MEC we have ALPA putting roadblocks in their way. This agreement with TWA LLC has a defined term of "company" meaning American Airlines and allowed language in the agreement that said TWA pilots would be merged into the AA pilot seniority list based on time with the company. Hello ... if the agreement with the TWA LLC is not amenable until there is a single carrier determination and that point AA is one company, but now the TWA pilots have only 1 day working for the company, meaning they can be stapled to the bottom of the seniority list !!! On the flip side we can now have the ALPA fans or AA pilots saying "but that is not what happened as we did integrate some TWA pilots into the seniority list at a ratio of 8-1 starting a the bottom, so not all TWA pilots were stapled to the bottom, just the vast majority". Wow and way to go AA pilots, you look like real champs by allowing a few senior TWA pilots have more seniority - those with less than 5 years to retirement. Yup, you AA pilots are real heros! What was ALPA thinking ... or was there a motive for signing an agreement like this and not allowing a ratification vote ? Well after reading some information on the internet it is clear that ALPA did have a motive and I am sure it will be brought out during this trial.

The witness explained how the ALPA president (refuse to say his name) committed to use every available resource including legal actions to help the TWA pilots in an ALPA vs non ALPA merger, then flat out refused to do anything to help the TWA pilots by saying "I will not file a lawsuit against another carrier that I do not have a contract with". Wow, how's that for looking after the pilots you are supposed to be representing.

When the witness explained how he was at Eastern losing all his time and seniority there, then at TWA with 13 years and half way up the seniority at #1300, and after the american pilots were done with doing the integration how they wanted he suddenly became something like #12,800, losing all his time and seniority with TWA and about to lose his job (furloughed). It was brought out that at some time (probably after ALPA signed that crazy TWA LLC agreement) that the AA pilots sent a letter to the TWA pilots saying they were done with trying to negotiate with them. Wow, what a surprise that was as the AA pilots realized the TWA LLC agreement allows them to cram down the TWA pilots throats anything they wanted. Understand there were about 8 former TWA pilots in uniform in the courtroom, and when he said this stuff I noticed a jury member look in the direction of the TWA pilots. As a matter of fact as specific things were mentioned that ALPA had done (better yet failed to do) in helping the TWA pilots, I noticed 4 different jurors at different times look in the direction of the TWA pilots. I guess it takes time for the light bulb to come for each individual in realizing what was done to these pilots.

About the best I saw from the defense lawyers that ALPA hired was them questioning why this witness was not always listed as present in the MEC minutes. Obviously he could not answer how such an oversight was made and it was rather comical when on the second time the ALPA lawyer pointed this out, the witness said he was there. the lawyer was taken aback and the witness showed him that on page 2 of the minutes it was mentioned that he made a recommendation to the MEC members, so it may have been an oversight not listing him on page one as present, but page 2 clearly showed he was at the meeting. Guess the lawyer didn't expect to be caught like that. Maybe I missed something in the courtroom because I thought I was hearing the TWA witness explain what ALPA did to them, so why was the ALPA lawyer concerned about why this guy was or was not listed on page 1 of some MEC minutes as being present at a meeting? Shouldn't the ALPA lawyer be more concerned with trying to refute his statement? Maybe the lawyer wanted to set him up for saying he was at a meeting and then show he wasn't listed as being there. Either way an ovesight could have been made in not listing he was there, but it backfired when the witness proved he was there!!! Then again, maybe the ALPA lawyers can't refute what this witness had to say and had to try something.

The last bit of interesting statments was when this witness explained when the ALPA president refused to help the TWA pilots they realized they were on their own and were able to get a congressman to support a bill that would require arbitration in seniority issues between carriers so that a cramdown would not occur to a future group of pilots. I believe it was called the BASS bill and it was passed at some point (either senate or the house) but was stricken from a defense bill it was attached to. The witness explained there were TWA pilots in congress trying to gain support. He showed a stack of business of cards from congressment he met with that would choke a horse it was so large. Then he showed how ALPA tried to destroy the TWA pilots efforts by denying them the TWA dues money that is used for trip loss pay due to union work. Yep, that is your union ... ALPA ... really working to help you.

This trial will take about 2 weeks and the TWA pilots informed me of much more to be brought out against ALPA. I look forward to going to the trial a few more times.

After today and what I heard in the court, I support the TWA pilots 100 percent in going after ALPA. If The TWA pilots prevail in this lawsuit and are awarded a huge judgement that put's ALPA into bankruptcy, then so be it because they deserve it. I also wonder how much it is going to cost the ALPA members even if the union declares bankruptcy?