Judge's Decision in UAL v. ALPA
 

November 18, 2008

To: United Pilots

From: MEC Chairman Captain Steve Wallach

Re: Judge's Decision in UAL v. ALPA

Given the court's decision, and our obligations under the Railway Labor Act, it is imperative to remind everyone that pilots will create real peril not only for our union but for themselves personally if they take any economic action in response to the court's decision, in response to the latest round of schedules, in response to the most recent furlough announcements or for any other reason.

The court's preliminary injunction will be issued shortly. It will likely apply not only to our union but to all United pilots. The federal court will deal severely with, and we cannot tolerate, any form of sick-out, elevated fatigue calls, slowdown or any form of pressure or harassment of other pilots for fulfilling their schedules or for accepting junior/senior manning. We will have more details when the court has issued the actual injunction.

ALPA's counsel is reviewing the decision for a basis of appeal, and the MEC will keep everyone advised of all developments. In the meantime, we must all continue to make every effort to maintain our flight schedule. We remind all United pilots that failure to comply with our legal obligations in these areas will have very serious legal and financial consequences for all of us, including significant risks to individual pilots' careers.

The UAL MEC forum was shut down this morning.
Guess they don't want any more fuel for the fire.

It sickens me that in United's press release they proclaim this as a victory for their employees and passengers and that they were only trying to prevent evil pilots from disrupting flights.

we're like the mesa of the legacies-- pretty sad-- we'll see if anyone has the cajones to still cause some havoc--- the 2172 are pretty ballsie-- they wont go on furlough with positive sick time

So can anyone explain what the company won or those of us not in the know?

This is from Dow Jones Newswires, an erstwhile non-biased publication:

CHICAGO -(Dow Jones)- From picketing ground workers and flight attendants to disgruntled leaders of a pilot's union, labor issues are heating up at U.S. airlines.

Commercial carriers breathed a sigh of relief in recent months as a sharp drop in the price of fuel suggests that they can make money next year, rather than face bankruptcy or liquidation.

Now, with many multiyear labor contracts up for negotiation, labor groups - stung by deep cost-cuts by airlines this decade and deteriorating economic conditions in recent months - seek to share in the industry's improved outlook.

Union officials at United Airlines, a unit of UAL Corp. (UAUA), have been particularly vocal on behalf of their members in the Air Line Pilots' Association. During a three-year reorganization in bankruptcy, some of United's labor groups saw wages and benefits cut nearly in half.

A federal judge Tuesday said the United pilots went too far with some illegal "sickouts" earlier this year. The judge issued findings likely to lead to a temporary injunction against the pilots, to stop such action. United brought the suit against the pilots last summer. In a statement Tuesday, United said that pilots' actions disrupted business, although they were undertaken by "a very few" of ALPA members.

In a prepared response, the union said it advised pilots "that it remains essential not to engage in any form of economic action involving United Airlines."

Even as the judge rules against the United pilots, flight attendants at American Airlines, a unit of AMR Corp. (AMR), began picketing Tuesday in three cities to protest a 25% cut in pay and benefits, along with an increased workload. The Ft. Worth airline, the world's largest carrier by passenger traffic, has implemented deep cost cuts outside of bankruptcy.

A spokesman for the Association of Professional Flight Attendants said the demonstration will commemorate the 15th anniversary of a successful labor strike in 1993, and will "remind management that flight attendants are determined to win a good contract, even if they must take the ultimate step to get it."

Labor relations at Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) have been less contentious over the years - helped by a successful fuel-hedging program, the airline made money through lean years for the industry. But last week, ground workers picketed in Dallas and Chicago, and plan to expand their protests.

Said Charles Cerf, president of the Transport Workers Union Local 555: "Our members are struggling with everyday living expenses and wages have not kept pace with the rising cost of living. Some of our members have not had a raise since 2005 after accepting a two-year contract extension that included unprofitable stock options in lieu of raises."

Even at JetBlue Airways Corp. (JBLU), where employees haven't had union representation before, pilots last week said they were seeking regulatory approval to form a union. "We have complete faith in our current company leadership, and believe that this will be a cooperative effort," said pilot spokesman Michael Sorbie. He said the union wants to be prepared to work with future managers who might not be so labor-friendly. To cope with high fuel prices and the weakening economy, JetBlue has cut back on expansion plans, expecting no growth in 2009.

Some labor leaders have expressed hope that the new administration in Washington, including a Democrat in the White House, and many more liberal members of congress may be more sympathetic to organized labor than government leaders have been in recent years.

Being one of the 1450, I did in fact burn up all of my sick time prior to furlough. It was kind of like being on terminal leave. Glad to be gone now that I can actually pay the bills again with my new job.

"We remind all United pilots that failure to comply with our legal obligations in these areas will have very serious legal and financial consequences for all of us, including significant risks to individual pilots' careers."

So the very real possibility of BK and/or liquidation is not risk enough to an individual pilots' career???

Sounds like a catch 22.... that sucks...

I spent over an hour reading the judges decision and it was very disheartening. It appears the spin the UAL team put forth on everything was believed, hook, line and sinker.

Welcome to the world of Big Business and sympathetic judges to Big Brother. For all practical purposes, ALPA is as dead as a doornail and this proves that airline mamangement has a good future of running roughshod over their employees.

BTW, the F/A's wont have a chance in hell of striking. Forced arbitration and a crap contract is the front runner among the oddsmakers.

Sad, but true.