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September 26, 2012
The biggest challenge is making sure that we develop the right culture of the combined companies. Doing what you say you’re going to do, doing your best to deliver on it, recognizing when you make mistakes – we call that dignity and respect - treating each other like you’d like to be treated.
There’s a building trust through information and through honesty and doing what you say.
Jeff Smisek, Welcome Aboard video, Dec 29, 2011
Dear United Pilots:
As we attempt to conclude a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA), there has been increased rhetoric coming from some Vice Presidents and Chief Pilots about the “need to change the culture of the United Pilots.” These have not been isolated conversations but have been spoken before employee audiences. This has to come into focus this week after ALPA (UAL and CAL) recently won a grievance against the company for last year violating Section 4-B of the Transition and Process Agreement (TPA) that both in flight operations and in training “neither Airline will interchange Pilots between their operations.” Rather than attempt to collaboratively resolve the joint training for Instructors and Evaluators for this year, management scheduled it anyway, attempted to skirt around the Arbitrator’s decision, got caught, and blamed ALPA for interfering in management’s business. In the end, management complied with the Arbitrator’s decision but not without disparaging comments. There have been other attempts to employ new provisions of the JCBA ahead of any membership ratification including 767 Sabre training without an MOU in violation of the UAL CBA.
So is this the culture that management wants to change: make an agreement, violate it, have the violation upheld by a neutral Arbitrator, attempt to avoid the Arbitrator’s decision, and then blame ALPA? Assuredly, there are a multitude of issues facing the company that the JCBA will resolve; however, until then, the United Pilots’ CBA, the Continental Pilots’ CBA, and the TPA all remain in effect. I am certain that if a vendor or outsourced contractor of United did not perform in accordance with their contract, then United management would react no differently than ALPA when its contract with United is in violation. Is that the culture management wants to change?
I agree that the biggest challenge to us after the JCBA will be developing the right culture of the combined companies. Whether it is in the Safety, Training, EAP or any other arena, solutions exist that are beneficial to all parties. A recent success is the agreed-to joint CIRP program with all the Chief Pilots. Sometimes, all it takes is a phone call from management. You have our number.
We are United,
Captain Jay Heppner
Chairman, United MEC
Air Line Pilots Association, International
Air Line Pilots Association, International
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