Originally Posted by cactusflyer

Fellow Horizon Air Pilots,
This summer has brought challenges to Horizon like we have never seen in our history. As Horizon celebrates its 36th anniversary this week, we have some disappointing news to share. We learned last week that Horizon will be unable to staff E-175 deliveries through at least the end of the year, and in blatant violation of our contract, the next three months of your Firm Order Aircraft for ERJ-175 will be delivered to SkyWest.
Some Context
As Mr. Lambert was being shown the door in late July, management reached out to the union to settle outstanding grievances, look for ways to work together to build trust and generally bury the hatchet from the last two years, to include the controversy heaped on us in everything from “Commit to Compete” to the New Hire bonus payment scheme. To that end, we were close to reaching an agreement after a month of dialog, but unfortunately with this newest violation of our contract outstanding, that effort is on hold.
Now that Mr. Lambert is gone, he is a convenient (and probably apt) scape-goat, for all that ills Horizon. Metaphorically, he was writing checks on an overdrawn bank-account into which Alaska Air Group only puts limited cash. Mr. Campbell has stated to us that he had “no idea” and was “completely surprised” that Mr. Lambert was misrepresenting substantive facts about staffing, fleet planning, training and check airman staffing; that we still find a little hard to believe.
Today
Last week, while trying to find out what the definitive plan for the ERJ-175 orders is, we heard a variety of anecdotes from Mr. Campbell. These ranged from Horizon or Alaska creating a leasing company to lease our aircraft to SkyWest and, just this past Friday, it was suggested that Horizon Air would just trade aircraft delivery slots, despite the fact that the airplanes are Firm Orders configured for QX. In fact, we were told earlier in the week SkyWest had no interest in aircraft with the QX configuration.
Given all of the confusing equivocations and misleading statements from management, we invoked the information sharing clause included in the Scope section of our CBA in a letter to Mr. Campbell. The letter in part read:
“Subject to an appropriate confidentiality agreement, if necessary, the Company shall provide to the Union information and operational data reasonably necessary to monitor compliance with this Agreement.” Accordingly, in order to monitor compliance with our collective bargaining agreement, including the January 24, 2016 LOA and the subcontracting restrictions contained in Section 1.D, we hereby request the company provide us with the following:
1. A copy of the AAG‐Embraer Firm Order agreement for the E175s, including all appendices, schedules, annexes, and amendments thereto;
2. Copies of all documents evidencing AAG’s establishment or planed establishment of a leasing company to take delivery of the Firm Order and Option Order E175 aircraft;
3. Copies of all documents relating to agreements between AAG, including any and all AAG subsidiaries, SkyWest and/or Embraer regarding the actual or anticipated deferral or “swap” of Firm Aircraft and/or Firm Aircraft delivery slots/schedules.
Consistent with Section 1.G of our collective bargaining agreement, we are prepared to enter into an appropriate confidentiality agreement regarding the use and disclosure of the documents/information identified above.
We had a conversation with Horizon Air management on Friday and, initially, they were agreeable to providing the requested data. We provided the required signed non-disclosure agreements. We thought we would have reviewed the requested documents by now; we have not. On Monday, we received word that the company, (apparently Alaska Air Group) is still contemplating what documents they wish to provide.
As we told the company, we will be taking all appropriate and legal actions and remedies available to us.
What Now?
Well, we hope we are just sifting through the remaining wreckage left by Mr. Lambert. We are also hopeful that Mr. Hornibrook has been given the resources and authority needed to get Horizon Air back on course. That said, the current message to the pilots still seems to be, once again, “Just look the other way, one more time…”
There are always solutions available to remedy problems; but the problems the company’s leadership creates can’t always be remedied by asking for more trust. We’ve all been down that path. In order to regain the trust of this pilot group, we not only want, but need, meaningful actions from Horizon Air management. We are currently awaiting the company’s follow through in providing the documents we requested, a right afforded to us through our CBA. The company’s willingness to fulfill this request is a first step toward building the trust that Mr. Campbell states he wants. And in turn, we’ll be ready to then work with Mr. Hornibrook in rebuilding the operation together.
Fraternally,
Horizon Pilots Executive Council
APA Teamsters Local 1224