Originally Posted by Old UCAL CA

From the "From the Chairman" section of the CAL MEC Update...


"....As you will read in the JNC update below, negotiations continued this week in Baltimore with the NMB in attendance. I am pleased that we are making significant progress in the Scheduling sections and that the momentum that seemed to start with the New Year has continued. I was asked by a reporter this week why I think that progress is being made now when negotiations seemed mired in the doldrums all of last year. The answer I gave is that last year, management was just not ready for a contract. I compared the process to restoring a classic car. Their focus was on SOC and PSS (the body work and paint) and not on operational issues. Now that the paint job and interior have received their make-over, it is time to pop the hood and give proper attention to the engine—Flight Operations. To put it another way, I hope that management recognizes that without a satisfied pilot group, all their work to date is nothing more than putting lipstick on what may become a very large pig...."


"....Some Continental pilots have asked me about a message that was put out to the UAL pilots earlier this week. In that message, UAL MEC Chairman Capt. Heppner discussed two grievances they filed regarding your participation in the United Continental Holdings, Inc. profit sharing plan for 2011. Let me say that the CAL MEC is focused on the JCBA. We are not interested in engaging in public squabbles from the past that should have been, and we were assured by UAL MEC leadership would be, resolved with the TPA extension. Nothing good comes from pilots fighting with pilots and I do not intend to engage in that kind of activity. Our focus is on doing what is right for the pilot group and on achieving a JCBA, not on rehashing issues that hinder rather than advance that objective.

I will take Capt. Heppner at his word that it is not his intent for these grievances to be about the Continental pilots. Still, it would be naïve to ignore the possibility that the consequences, intentional or not, might affect the CAL pilot group. As such, I want to assure you that we are taking the actions necessary to protect the interests of our pilots. We have tried to avoid this dispute and are saddened that we will now need to spend valuable resources (both people and money) on this type of activity. Our goal is as it always was — the JCBA..."


From the "JNC" update section of the CAL MEC Update...

"....JNC (CO-CHAIRMEN CAPTS. DAVE OWENS (CAL) (photo), PHIL OTIS (UAL))
This week, your JNC continued to meet in Baltimore for negotiations with management on the JCBA Scheduling sections (Sections 5, 20 and 22). For the first time, we were joined by two mediators from the National Mediation Board — our regular mediator and the senior mediator. As a result, the parties split into multiple subgroups and significant progress was made in several subject areas. Nonetheless, much work remains to be done next week (again in Baltimore) for the parties to reduce the open items to a manageable number. The week after next, the JNC will be attending their respective MEC meetings.
As always, please stay connected to the process by reading updates from the MEC and your local council representatives...."