APA announces what they want! 30.5% pay raise
05-03-2007, 07:19 PM
#11
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2007
Posts: 100
What leverage does the union really have? Management knows that the pilots have nowhere else to go. The most junior CA at AA has 17 years there. He doesn't want to give away that seniority. He's not going to go fly for another airline. He's not going to strike long enough to sink AA; the company knows that, and will take full advantage of it. I hope that I'm wrong, and that the AA pilots draw a line in the sand. I think that the main problem remains, which is the fact that there are thousands of pilots who would gladly take a position at AA for far less money than what the pilots there make now. That will continue to create downward pressure on wages. 
05-03-2007, 07:26 PM
#12
New Hire
Joined APC: May 2006
Position: 777 FO
Posts: 4
We all would all like to see the kind of numbers they are talking about. Let's not forget APA is in the midst of an election. There is a lot of tough talk right now, but some of it might be political retoric.
Lets hope for everyone we can make it go.
Lets hope for everyone we can make it go.
05-03-2007, 07:51 PM
#13
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Position: 737 CA
Posts: 2,750
Originally Posted by AAflyer
ALLIED PILOTS ASSOCIATION ISSUES DETAILS OF NON-VARIABLE COMPENSATION PLAN
“Our plan will enable our pilots to participate in our airline’s recovery.”
Fort Worth, Texas (May 3, 2007)—The Allied Pilots Association (APA), representing the 12,000 pilots of American Airlines (NYSE: AMR), announced today it has presented a plan for non-variable compensation designed to enable its pilots to share in the airline’s financial recovery. APA and American Airlines management are currently engaged in full-scale contract negotiations in accordance with Section 6 of the Railway Labor Act.
“Other American Airlines stakeholders have already recovered their investment in our airline’s turnaround,” said APA President Captain Ralph Hunter. “It is time for our pilots to begin doing the same.”
Under APA’s plan, the pilots would receive a 30.5 percent pay rate increase on the date of signing retroactive to May 1, 2008—the contract’s amendable date—and five percent annual pay rate increases thereafter. Over a three-year period, annual pay rate increases would average around 17 percent. The plan also calls for signing bonuses equaling 15 percent of each pilot’s total pay over the duration of the negotiations. Management triggered the “early-opener” provision of the current contract on July 21, 2006, marking the start of negotiations.
“Our airline’s management has clearly demonstrated the ability to adapt to higher operating costs in areas such as executive compensation,” he said. “We are confident the same will occur as part of appropriately paying our pilots.
“By accepting large bonuses during each of the past two years, management sent a strong signal to employees that it was time for financial recovery,” Hunter said. “We concur with that assessment.”
According to Hunter, senior executives at American Airlines have seen their incomes rise by more than 80 percent compounded annually since the airline’s consensual out-of-court restructuring in 2003. Shareholder return for AMR stockholders has averaged 90 percent annually during the same four-year period.
By contrast, American Airlines’ pilots experienced immediate pay cuts ranging from 20 to 50 percent as part of the 2003 restructuring, while nearly 3,000 lost their jobs. They continue to earn less than they were before the airline’s restructuring while working substantially more hours each month. Altogether, the pilots have provided $660 million in givebacks during each of the past four years for a total of more than $2.5 billion worth of concessions.
In recent polling conducted on APA’s behalf, the pilots have cited higher pay rates as their top priority in negotiations.
“Our pilots have spoken loud and clear that our next contract must include pay restoration,” Hunter said. “It is a prerequisite for them to ratify a new agreement.”
Hunter also reported that APA and the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association would be co-hosting an industry-wide collective bargaining conference in early June in Dallas as part of a concerted effort to reverse the damage inflicted on the pilot profession during the past several years.
“Pilots industry-wide are committed to pay restoration,” he said.
Hunter further noted that APA would present a separate plan for variable compensation as part of the ongoing negotiations.
Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association—the largest independent pilot union in the U.S.—is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. APA represents the 12,000 pilots of American Airlines, including 2,799 pilots on furlough. The furloughs began shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Also, several hundred American Airlines pilots are on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces. The union’s Web site address is www.alliedpilots.org.
American Airlines is the nation’s largest passenger carrier.
“Our plan will enable our pilots to participate in our airline’s recovery.”
Fort Worth, Texas (May 3, 2007)—The Allied Pilots Association (APA), representing the 12,000 pilots of American Airlines (NYSE: AMR), announced today it has presented a plan for non-variable compensation designed to enable its pilots to share in the airline’s financial recovery. APA and American Airlines management are currently engaged in full-scale contract negotiations in accordance with Section 6 of the Railway Labor Act.
“Other American Airlines stakeholders have already recovered their investment in our airline’s turnaround,” said APA President Captain Ralph Hunter. “It is time for our pilots to begin doing the same.”
Under APA’s plan, the pilots would receive a 30.5 percent pay rate increase on the date of signing retroactive to May 1, 2008—the contract’s amendable date—and five percent annual pay rate increases thereafter. Over a three-year period, annual pay rate increases would average around 17 percent. The plan also calls for signing bonuses equaling 15 percent of each pilot’s total pay over the duration of the negotiations. Management triggered the “early-opener” provision of the current contract on July 21, 2006, marking the start of negotiations.
“Our airline’s management has clearly demonstrated the ability to adapt to higher operating costs in areas such as executive compensation,” he said. “We are confident the same will occur as part of appropriately paying our pilots.
“By accepting large bonuses during each of the past two years, management sent a strong signal to employees that it was time for financial recovery,” Hunter said. “We concur with that assessment.”
According to Hunter, senior executives at American Airlines have seen their incomes rise by more than 80 percent compounded annually since the airline’s consensual out-of-court restructuring in 2003. Shareholder return for AMR stockholders has averaged 90 percent annually during the same four-year period.
By contrast, American Airlines’ pilots experienced immediate pay cuts ranging from 20 to 50 percent as part of the 2003 restructuring, while nearly 3,000 lost their jobs. They continue to earn less than they were before the airline’s restructuring while working substantially more hours each month. Altogether, the pilots have provided $660 million in givebacks during each of the past four years for a total of more than $2.5 billion worth of concessions.
In recent polling conducted on APA’s behalf, the pilots have cited higher pay rates as their top priority in negotiations.
“Our pilots have spoken loud and clear that our next contract must include pay restoration,” Hunter said. “It is a prerequisite for them to ratify a new agreement.”
Hunter also reported that APA and the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association would be co-hosting an industry-wide collective bargaining conference in early June in Dallas as part of a concerted effort to reverse the damage inflicted on the pilot profession during the past several years.
“Pilots industry-wide are committed to pay restoration,” he said.
Hunter further noted that APA would present a separate plan for variable compensation as part of the ongoing negotiations.
Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association—the largest independent pilot union in the U.S.—is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. APA represents the 12,000 pilots of American Airlines, including 2,799 pilots on furlough. The furloughs began shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Also, several hundred American Airlines pilots are on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces. The union’s Web site address is www.alliedpilots.org.
American Airlines is the nation’s largest passenger carrier.
Brilliant!!
05-03-2007, 08:46 PM
#16
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2006
Position: I was acquired, Not Hired
Posts: 1,784
AAflyer,
Thanks for the info. As is mentioned above, APA elections are in the process. Some of the candidates are using the dissolution of Supp CC (protection for the 600 TWA pilots left in STL) as their platform for election. Do the NAAtives see that as an important issue right now. I'm just curious to get your opinion of the general concensus from you and your fellow co-workers.
Just asking a question, thats all.
Regards,
FF
Thanks for the info. As is mentioned above, APA elections are in the process. Some of the candidates are using the dissolution of Supp CC (protection for the 600 TWA pilots left in STL) as their platform for election. Do the NAAtives see that as an important issue right now. I'm just curious to get your opinion of the general concensus from you and your fellow co-workers.
Just asking a question, thats all.
Regards,
FF
05-04-2007, 05:56 AM
#20
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Posts: 652
Originally Posted by FliFast
AAflyer,
Thanks for the info. As is mentioned above, APA elections are in the process. Some of the candidates are using the dissolution of Supp CC (protection for the 600 TWA pilots left in STL) as their platform for election. Do the NAAtives see that as an important issue right now. I'm just curious to get your opinion of the general concensus from you and your fellow co-workers.
Just asking a question, thats all.
Regards,
FF
Thanks for the info. As is mentioned above, APA elections are in the process. Some of the candidates are using the dissolution of Supp CC (protection for the 600 TWA pilots left in STL) as their platform for election. Do the NAAtives see that as an important issue right now. I'm just curious to get your opinion of the general concensus from you and your fellow co-workers.
Just asking a question, thats all.
Regards,
FF
Greetings FF,
There are a couple candidates saying that CC needs to be discussed. However I have not heard much from Hunter on this. If you had not figured it out I am based in STL. I am a little sheltered from that stuff as I fly with TWA/AA Captains. I think enough people have mentioned including myself if anything were to be done APA would be setting themselves up for the perfect DFR lawsuit. I personally as well as others like AA73 do not think Supp CC should be touched.
I think some of the other candidates are using this as "elect me politico".
It would be worth while mentioning that this proposal is at the low end of other ideas on what we should have presented. If you look at the Presidental challengers they have numbers as high as 50% pay rate increase.
APA set this number at being reasonable. Explaining that we are only recapturing what we have lost from years ago. While some here at AA are ****ed that it is not more, I think it is a smart move. In the end if we need to ask for release and "cooling off" the NMB will ask and verify that BOTH groups have been negotiating in good faith. I think this proposal is that.
Hope all is well,
AA
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