Originally Posted by
justjack
How’s it going to feel when the USAirways LOA expires in December and the proverbial shoe is on the other foot? Do you really think that the USAirways pilots will be in a hurry to negotiate a new contract if they are the ones making more money? Based on the fact that they did not do so while making less money, I would say either the company had better be ready to make it worth their while or the West pilots will have to agree to fences. I suppose one can believe that there is a way that a judge can MAKE the pilots agree to a joint contract, but I sure do not see it. How can a judge insert himself into labor negotiations? Can the judge MAKE USAirways management pay a certain wage? How will this litigation be enforced when the contract must be voted on? The Nic award, in its present form, has such horrendous consequences for the USAirways pilots; it is hard to see them ever voting “yes” to ANY joint contract. USAPA has been ordered to “Immediately, and in good faith, make all reasonable efforts to negotiate and implement a single collective bargaining agreement.” Does USAPA have the power to make the company pay the USAirways pilots enough to make them sign a joint contract? Most likely, USAirways will go belly up or merge and that is how this will end.
The Judge has already said he will not impose extra costs on the company or force a contract. What this order says is that USAPA has the legal obligation to negotiate in good faith, something that can, I'm sure, be subject to further litigation.
You mention the infamous LOA 93. The brilliant strategists at US Air (East) did not negotiate a snapback for LOA 93. The company is on record that there will be no snapback, thus no pay raise for the East. The Flight attendents for the East did get a snapback - the pilots did not put ironclad langauge in their LOA.
I actually hope that the East would get their snapback, it will raise the bar for an eventual contract (sometime before the next iceage I guess - and I'm not talking about the Pixar cartoon). There will have to be much weeping and wailing before we ever get to a real contract, I expect that will commence next spring - provided there still is a US Airways around.