Airline Pilot Central Forums - Giant douche or turd sandwich?

Since there are no major updates and the Miata argument has lost steam, why not (re)start another turd (or douche)?

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Seniority Integration Dispute Resolution Process – Group IV VPLOA Captains Decision

Arbitrator Dana Eischen issued his decision yesterday finding the Company erred when it decided not to count Group IV Captains on a Voluntary Permanent Leave of Absence (VPLOA) toward the allocated 454/183 Group IV Captain positions under the Seniority List Integration (SLI) Award. The Sept. 6, 2016, SLI award allocated 454/183 Group IV Captain positions to legacy American Airlines (LAA) pilots and legacy US Airways East (LUS East) pilots, respectively.

Arbitrator Eischen concluded: “Counting VPLOAs toward the Group IV Captain Restriction will accurately reflect the allocation of economic and promotional opportunities expressly stated and manifestly intended by the Board in our SLI Award. By failing to count VPLOA’s toward the Restriction, the Company artificially accelerated 32 L-US(E) Pilots to Group IV Captain status beyond what was contemplated by the Board’s SLI Award and deprived that number of more senior L-AA or L-US(W) Pilots of the economic and promotional opportunities to which they are entitled by the SLI Award and the unrestricted ISL.”

Five claims were filed earlier this year after the Company announced it would not count Group IV Captains on a VPLOA against the allocated Group IV positions when processing the September 2020 vacancy award. The claims were consolidated and advanced to arbitration. Arbitrator Eischen, one of the three original SLI Award arbitrators, served as the arbitrator to review the consolidated claims.

The parties during this arbitration included the three Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) representatives – LAA, LUS East, and LUS West – and the Company. Under the terms of the SLI Award, APA remained neutral and was not a party to the arbitration. The arbitrator’s decision, however, is binding on all parties and APA.

The decision and the position statements of each party are posted on the Seniority Integration Dispute Resolution Process webpage.

Arbitrator Eischen has directed the parties to meet and discuss a remedy but has retained jurisdiction in the event the parties are unable to reach a remedy on their own. APA will keep you posted on additional updates as the remedy is finalized.