UAL secretly video tapes pilots
The court case UAL v. ALPA resumed in Federal District Court in Chicago on Tuesday and is expected to continue into Thursday before Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow.
During cross-examination today, Managing Director, Labor Strategy-Flight Jay Milone testified/disclosed the following:
► Within the airline industry there exists an Airline Industrial Relations Conference (AirCon) composed of the labor strategy personnel from the various airlines. Milone is a member of this group and testified that they meet on a semi-regular basis to discuss pilot labor issues on their respective carriers. Milone testified that their activities are usually discussed verbally rather than written.
►It was disclosed that during the summer of 2007, a video tape recording system was installed in at least two domiciles, San Francisco and Chicago, for the purposes of observing and recording the activities around the union bulletin boards, flight office and flight manager offices. Milone testified that the sole purpose of the surveillance was to monitor the areas for evidence of “harassment” of pilots. He also testified that at least the chief pilots were aware of the surveillance devices but to his knowledge they are no longer installed.
The United MEC is taking this opportunity to reconfirm its position that pilots should not engage in activities either individually or collectively that may disrupt operations. Specifically, the United MEC and its officers do not condone and strongly oppose calling in sick when you are not ill, refusing to accept junior/senior manning assignments for the purpose of disrupting operations, or pressuring other pilots in any way with respect to their individual decisions to accept junior/senior manning assignments.
If there is a continuation of the sick leave levels that United experienced in July, and if United is unable to obtain pilots who will accept junior/senior manning to avoid flight cancellations, United will argue that it is a justification for the court to issue a preliminary injunction. Please understand that this is a serious matter, and that failure to comply with our legal obligations could have serious consequences.
The court hearings are open to the public. It is appropriate for pilots to attend in uniform.
The Court is located at:
Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse
219 South Dearborn Street, Court Room 1925
Chicago, IL 60604