NY UPDATE

NY LEC121 Base Teleconference
There will be a NY Base Teleconference for all NY pilots on Sunday June 8th at 9PM. Call in information as follows:
Call in Number: XXX-XXX-XXXX Access Code: XXXXX

IF YOU FORWARD OR REPOST THIS EMAIL IN PUBLIC PLACES - PLEASE REMOVE THE CALL IN INFORMATION

Chief Pilots
The company has restructured the chief pilots office staffing system wide. We now only have one (1) chief pilot at each domicile. The former Assistant Chief Pilots are being replaced with staff assistants. Currently the company is using First Officers on Special Assignment pay to fill these functions.

Hotel Committee
CA Leo Vane has volunteered to lead the LEC121 Hotel Committee as it's new chairman. There may be additional openings on the committee. Interested pilots should contact Adam Chronas or me.

Strategic Planning Committee
The LEC SPC is looking for new volunteers who can be ready on short notice for event staffing. The SPC also is engaged in long range planning. The SPC is the committee that would organize things like Family Awareness events, Picketing or Pamphlet events and other group functions.

Peer2Peer (LEC121 P2P)
This committee is comprised of our in base information brokers. They get the inside scoop first on many things, act as a sounding board for your LEC Reps, and disseminate information to the pilot group directly in person, peer 2 peer, in the crew rooms and cockpits.

Pro Standards
We have an opening for an FO Rep on Professional Standards.

Committee Vacancies
Beyond those listed above, we have vacancies on the LEC and MEC level in many committees. There will be an MEC email with some of the available MEC level positions. If you have an interest in volunteering please let us know.

Base Communications
In the interest of increasing accessibility to information quickly we have established an email address for general questions. If you have an issue that you need help or information about you can send an email to XXXXX. This email address forwards your email to Adam and me, to every LEC121 Committee Chairperson, and to all LEC Contract Compliance volunteers. This way if you aren't sure where to address your question, you can throw it out there to the group of us, and somebody will answer. Of course you can always continue to email specific volunteers directly; this is just another means of getting information or help.

Other important email addresses to be aware of are [email protected] which sends an email to the MEC office secretary, which can then be sent to all of the MEC. The email address [email protected] goes to our Flight Time Duty Time Committee and they typically respond very quickly to any FAR117 questions you may have.

PayComp Issues
The MEC Recently Created the position of PayComp Monitor within the MEC Grievance Committee. Once operational, this will allow for a person who actually understands the payroll accounting process to review pay records for accuracy; and to specialize in prosecuting PayComp errors. This is not an invitation to send pay sheets to the Grievance Committee monthly for auditing. The process will still remain to try to resolve the issue with PayComp and your supervisor (Chief Pilot). When it remains unresolved the addition of this new position will allow for swifter and more accurate processing of claims.

MEC UPDATE
This past MEC meeting was held on May 30th, 2014 and was very productive. Your elected representatives had the opportunity to speak with lawyers from both ALPA national and from Cohen & Weiss (the bankruptcy attorneys).

The MEC was briefed on various legal issues and updates.

Lee Moak, our ALPA President, was also at this meeting. Several line pilots attended this meeting in person for the opportunity to speak directly with President Moak. Many questions were asked and answered in open session. Some topics were only discussed in executive session. Overall, my opinion is that ALPA National is in our corner. In my opinion, this is solely due to the outcry from thousands of ALPA pilots last September after President Moak sent his now famous "cost box" letter to FFD carriers. ALPA has promised the full support of all National resources to this MEC for attaining our objectives. You may all expect more detailed news soon as this all develops.

THE PAST, THE PRESENT & THE FUTURE

The Past
It was just this past December that we were exiting the bankruptcy process. Earlier that same year we had ratified a concessionary contract giving $43M back to the company from our wallets. In return for these cuts, our management was on record saying this $43 million dollar give back would ensure the viability of our company, and secure aircraft for us in the future. At the last minute the company reneged on a fleet guarantee and instead offered furlough protection. That bankruptcy contract went into effect January 2013.

Less than 6 months later, the company was again knocking on our door demanding more concessions in the form of a B-scale. They said we needed to be more competitive and used Endeavor as the example. They ignored the fact that Envoy and Endeavor were at the time within $3.00 of each other in block hour costs. The Company was again promising us a fleet of new aircraft, which they had reneged on in the prior bankruptcy contract, in exchange for these massive additional concessions. The MEC voted not to approve an AIP containing a B-scale, but remained open to further discussions with the Company. The Company then waited until just before the Christmas holidays to have their labor consultant, Jerry Glass, drop a demand for draconian concessions on the pilots. Four months of Jerry Glass saying ‘no’ to everything positive resulted in the AIP and TA you are all familiar with.

This MEC reminded management throughout the entire process that something of this nature would never pass a pilot vote. Instead this company chose to believe their hired labor consultant. The result here at Envoy was the same as the result at Endeavor. Jerry Glass failed to reach a deal that would pass a ratification vote. Jerry Glass does not negotiate, he dictates. As a result, the negotiations were doomed from the very beginning. This MEC was willing to work with the company to reach their targets in ways that provided safeguards and safety nets. The failure of the company to realize any of these savings is the result of the inflexibility of Jerry Glass. The MEC attempted to quietly broker a deal with our management, and instead was met by Jerry Glass telling us to forget it, and that any deal we produce will be rejected. How this rejection is in the best interest of the company, its employees or shareholders is a complete mystery to us, yet that is exactly what Jerry Glass did.

The Present
The Company has stated they will seek to place these jets elsewhere. The PDT MEC has sent newsblasts to their pilots indicating they are negotiating for E175 aircraft, and for improved flow through to mainline. I think It serves no long term purpose to be lowering the bar while the entire Fee For Departure industry in in turmoil. In the case of PSA, they made their decision at a time when only Eagle/Envoy had voted no. There was no clear cut case that the regional industry was in a state of dynamic flux. We know now today that our industry is in fact in a period of dramatic change. In my opinion - in these conditions - no pilot anywhere, should accept less than they are worth. It is my opinion that they should focus on a deal that is no less than what ExpressJet, Republic and Envoy have already rejected, or currently have, to fly the same aircraft.

The Future
The future is an uncertain thing. We have conflicting information from many sources. We have the company telling us we will remain a 200 aircraft company, and that the CRJ's will remain for the foreseeable future; while at the same time sending out vacancy bid after vacancy bid, only to cancel each one before it runs. It almost seems that when the company says "foreseeable future" they might mean a period of a little over two or three weeks. Jerry Glass repeatedly tells us they are giving away all 60 aircraft to other carriers. If this is factual, then his old threats of being Comair II seem more realistic than ever..

In spite of this, in my opinion, the MEC still remains open to discussions with the company which may preserve the viability of this airline. We have recently seen Delta begin the process of creating flow through programs without demanding concessions. This is exactly as the MEC had predicted, exactly as we told the company the industry would unfold, and exactly why will not accept concessions to create or enhance these programs We are willing to do our part, but we aren't going to finance it with concessions.

We are not preventing them from placing new aircraft here, nor are we preventing them from taking appropriate steps to increase hiring. Delta obviously understands that pilots are at a premium. Delta has begun transitioning regional flying back to the mainline, and has taken steps to increase regional hiring with guaranteed career advancement. While Delta's actions are not perfect, they are a step in the right direction. None of this required concessions from regional labor groups.

Envoy is a professional airline, staffed by highly skilled, highly trained, professional aviators. We all want our airline to succeed; but we are not willing to put our first officers on more government assistance programs than they are already on, nor are we willing to accept less than our already concessionary bankruptcy contract to fly larger more efficient jets. We have rates for the E175 in our concessionary bankruptcy contract. We are willing to fly whatever aircraft the company determines will provide the most profit for the company and the shareholders. The stockholders meeting in NY is but a few days away. The shareholders have a right to expect that management and labor will work together to resolve their differences in a way that benefits everybody. That currently is not happening.

In reading the recent media coverage from AAG we are told how much labor relations have improved under this new management team. The reality is that I have never seen the relations with Envoy executive level management so good; while the relations with the AAG negotiator Jerry Glass remains the worst I've ever seen, ever heard of, or been subjected to. I am convinced that AAG upper management is not informed of how badly Jerry Glass has damaged company-employee relations. It is my position that this MEC remains willing to work with AAG to reach common goals. That will not happen with Jerry Glass road blocking every attempt at reasonable negotiations. If AAG is as committed to improved company-employee relations as they claim to be, I challenge them to put action where their words are.

That's all for now.


Fraternally,

Ray & Adam