From The AFA:
Attached is a letter from the Teamster's attorney to Ed Gilmartin, AFA's General Counsel. It is in response to Ed's email yesterday (which we sent out in eline last night).
Your union (as of yesterday) has decided that the Midwest flight attendants are not entitled to seniority integration.
So this is what it is like to be a Teamster! Wow, I'm speechless.
Fortunately, your former union, AFA, is honorable and is not abandoning you. You have the right to seniority integration per the McCaskill-Bond Amendment and AFA is going to represent you in the legal fight ahead.
It does seem as if everyone is against us. First Hoeksema, then TPG, Bryan Bedford and now your own union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. It is truly disheartening. But we are not giving up.
Please continue to check your email for updates and call or email if you have any questions.
Thank you for your continued support.
In Solidarity,
Cat Reed
MEC President
414-445-5333
414-460-6820
[email protected]
Joey Krajewski
MEC Secretary/Treasurer
414-745-5644
[email protected]
BAPTISTE & WILDER, P.C.
ATTORNEYS AT LAW 1150 CONNECTIClIT AVENUE, N.W., SUITE 500 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036
(202) 223-0723
FACSIMllE (202) 223-9677
WllLIAM R. WllDER
E-MAIL:
[email protected]
April 7, 2010
Edward J. Gilmartin General Counsel
Association of Flight Attendants - CWA 501 Third Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
Dear Mr. Gilmartin:
I am writing on behalf of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Airline Division in response to your electronic mail dated April 6, 2010 in which the Association of Flight Attendants, purportedly on behalf of "former Midwest flight attendants", demanded the Airline Division initiate a seniority integration process between the flight attendants employed by Republic Airlines, represented by the IBT, and "former Midwest flight attendants."
The AFA has no standing to assert a claim on behalf of flight attendants employed by Midwest Airlines. The National Mediation Board extinguished the certification of the AFA for the craft or class of flight attendants of Midwest Airlines on April 6, 2010. Accordingly, the IBT will not deal with the AFA concerning an alleged right of seniority integration held by Midwest flight attendants.
Further, the "Bond-McCaskill Amendment" has no application to the transaction between Republic Airways Holdings, Inc. and Midwest Air Group, Inc. That provision applies only to "covered transactions", defined as "a transaction for the combination of multiple air carriers into a single air carrier." No such transaction occurred here. Republic Airways Holdings, Inc. is not a carrier so its acquisition of Midwest Air Group, Inc. (likewise not a carrier) is not a covered transaction. Midwest Airlines was not combined with any other carrier owned by Republic Airways Holdings. Rather, Midwest Airlines permanently ceased operation in November 2009 and later surrendered its operating certificate to the relevant regulatory bodies.
BAPTISTE & WILDER, P .C.
Mr. Gilmartin April 7, 2010
Page 2of 2
There also was no combination of crafts or classes as required under the Bond-McCaskill amendment as none of the carrier subsidiaries of RAH employed the Midwest Airlines flight attendants as a craft or class. In fact, nearly all the members of that craft or class remained unhired after Midwest Airlines ceased operations.
Accordingly, the law does not require a seniority integration process between the "former Midwest flight attendants" and flight attendants employed by Republic. The IBT will not initiate nor participate in such process.
Very truly yours,
BAPTISTE & WILDER, P.C.
William R. Wilder
cc: E.J. Gleason
B. Schimmel