Letter of No Confidence
06-13-2017, 06:51 AM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jun 2016
Posts: 125
FYI.... here it is from TR.
June 13, 2017
Dear PSA Pilots,
Your MEC met at the ALPA offices in Herndon, Va. last week to discuss several issues currently plaguing our pilot group. During this meeting, we discussed items such as contract violations by PSA’s scheduling and payroll departments, delays and unwarranted denials of FMLA requests by PSA’s third party FMLA vendor, health insurance claim denials by Core Source/Aetna, PSA’s obstruction of the grievance process, and increased management turnover. It is apparent that pilot morale at PSA continues to plummet to record lows. While PSA’s recruiting department hands out rose colored glasses to prospective new hires, reality quickly sets in for pilots after completion of IOE.
First, I would like to address management turnover. As most of you are aware, PSA recently lost two managers within the operations department who were playing important roles in improved labor relations between management and our pilot group. Recently, PSA’s former Director of Operations, Matt Kernan, and Vice President of Operations, Michael Scrobola, decided to abruptly resign their positions with PSA. Matt Kernan returned to his former employer, Piedmont Airlines, and Michael Scrobola announced his retirement which became effective May 31.
Obviously, some pilots will disagree, but I can assure each of you that these two men held the value of labor relations with the highest regard. Both Matt and Michael worked diligently with ALPA leadership to improve labor relations and pilot morale. Of course, we did not always see eye to eye on various issues, but no complaint fell on deaf ears regardless of whether we were able to resolve it or not. The loss of these two leaders from PSA is truly a huge loss for our pilot group. Their quick departure, along with the announced resignation of a chief pilot and the rumored but not confirmed departures of other managers in various departments, got our attention. Managers don’t typically quit for no apparent reason. Further, when someone in a high management position retires or resigns, a company typically does not bury the retirement story at the bottom of a weekly news e-mail. The MEC believes these resignations indicate that low morale at PSA extends beyond the pilot ranks, and that PSA’s senior management is rapidly creating a highly toxic work environment at the top which is trickling down and affecting us all.
Next, both PSA’s payroll and scheduling departments continue to violate the contract and, simply put, just get it all wrong. At PSA, it has been a long running joke regarding our scheduling department that pilots do not see the big picture regarding scheduling operations. I’ve been to Dayton many times, and I must admit that I have never seen this proverbial “big picture.” However, based on the way our scheduling department works, I imagine that it resembles the biblical scene of Sodom and Gomorrah as it was being destroyed by fire and brimstone. Our pilots are feeling the effects of scheduling’s mismanagement and chaotic approach to running the operation by frantically junior manning, extending, and modifying assignments regularly. Scheduling is so frantic in the efforts to cover flying that they often violate our contract. Additionally, by calling pilots 3 or 4 times in the wee hours of the morning during rest, scheduling has been committing a clear and blatant violation of the FAA’s one phone call rule. Payroll continues to violate the agreement regularly as well, despite a recent payroll audit performed by an outside company that did a similar audit at American. Payroll managers take it upon themselves to make up rules that benefit the Company when calculating pay, even when there are black and white examples in the contract that precisely explain how pay should be calculated.
F&H Solutions, PSA’s third party FMLA administrator, routinely denies or delays PSA pilots’ requests to take FMLA leave. While this battle has been going on for some time, a new enemy has recently reared its ugly head at PSA. This new enemy is PSA’s new healthcare administrator. Pilots are experiencing unacceptable issues with health coverage since the company switched to Core Source/Aetna. These problems include having to forego medical treatment and medication for serious medical issues, some which could result in death, due to refusal of payment. This treatment of our pilot group is unacceptable, and this MEC will not stand for it. Presently, we are ensuring that all the required appeal procedures are complied with for these pilots. If problems still persist, the PSA MEC will consider filing a lawsuit against PSA on the grounds that the denial of health insurance claims causes irreparable harm, thereby warranting an injunction against the Company. We were told that there would be no changes in the plan when switching to this new administrator except the addition of a fourth-tier prescription plan, but that was clearly not true.
Considering the above issues, the MEC presented and unanimously passed a resolution of no confidence last Thursday. It is the opinion of the MEC that these issues, and many others, are a direct result of Dion Flannery’s leadership style. The MEC has lost faith in Mr. Flannery’s ability to successfully lead and grow PSA. The Company continues to throw millions in pilot recruiting, but has clearly lost sight of what is important, and by far the best recruiting tool, the morale and well-being of the employees who make this operation successful day in and day out.
In unity,
Travis Ricks
Chairman, PSA MEC
June 13, 2017
Dear PSA Pilots,
Your MEC met at the ALPA offices in Herndon, Va. last week to discuss several issues currently plaguing our pilot group. During this meeting, we discussed items such as contract violations by PSA’s scheduling and payroll departments, delays and unwarranted denials of FMLA requests by PSA’s third party FMLA vendor, health insurance claim denials by Core Source/Aetna, PSA’s obstruction of the grievance process, and increased management turnover. It is apparent that pilot morale at PSA continues to plummet to record lows. While PSA’s recruiting department hands out rose colored glasses to prospective new hires, reality quickly sets in for pilots after completion of IOE.
First, I would like to address management turnover. As most of you are aware, PSA recently lost two managers within the operations department who were playing important roles in improved labor relations between management and our pilot group. Recently, PSA’s former Director of Operations, Matt Kernan, and Vice President of Operations, Michael Scrobola, decided to abruptly resign their positions with PSA. Matt Kernan returned to his former employer, Piedmont Airlines, and Michael Scrobola announced his retirement which became effective May 31.
Obviously, some pilots will disagree, but I can assure each of you that these two men held the value of labor relations with the highest regard. Both Matt and Michael worked diligently with ALPA leadership to improve labor relations and pilot morale. Of course, we did not always see eye to eye on various issues, but no complaint fell on deaf ears regardless of whether we were able to resolve it or not. The loss of these two leaders from PSA is truly a huge loss for our pilot group. Their quick departure, along with the announced resignation of a chief pilot and the rumored but not confirmed departures of other managers in various departments, got our attention. Managers don’t typically quit for no apparent reason. Further, when someone in a high management position retires or resigns, a company typically does not bury the retirement story at the bottom of a weekly news e-mail. The MEC believes these resignations indicate that low morale at PSA extends beyond the pilot ranks, and that PSA’s senior management is rapidly creating a highly toxic work environment at the top which is trickling down and affecting us all.
Next, both PSA’s payroll and scheduling departments continue to violate the contract and, simply put, just get it all wrong. At PSA, it has been a long running joke regarding our scheduling department that pilots do not see the big picture regarding scheduling operations. I’ve been to Dayton many times, and I must admit that I have never seen this proverbial “big picture.” However, based on the way our scheduling department works, I imagine that it resembles the biblical scene of Sodom and Gomorrah as it was being destroyed by fire and brimstone. Our pilots are feeling the effects of scheduling’s mismanagement and chaotic approach to running the operation by frantically junior manning, extending, and modifying assignments regularly. Scheduling is so frantic in the efforts to cover flying that they often violate our contract. Additionally, by calling pilots 3 or 4 times in the wee hours of the morning during rest, scheduling has been committing a clear and blatant violation of the FAA’s one phone call rule. Payroll continues to violate the agreement regularly as well, despite a recent payroll audit performed by an outside company that did a similar audit at American. Payroll managers take it upon themselves to make up rules that benefit the Company when calculating pay, even when there are black and white examples in the contract that precisely explain how pay should be calculated.
F&H Solutions, PSA’s third party FMLA administrator, routinely denies or delays PSA pilots’ requests to take FMLA leave. While this battle has been going on for some time, a new enemy has recently reared its ugly head at PSA. This new enemy is PSA’s new healthcare administrator. Pilots are experiencing unacceptable issues with health coverage since the company switched to Core Source/Aetna. These problems include having to forego medical treatment and medication for serious medical issues, some which could result in death, due to refusal of payment. This treatment of our pilot group is unacceptable, and this MEC will not stand for it. Presently, we are ensuring that all the required appeal procedures are complied with for these pilots. If problems still persist, the PSA MEC will consider filing a lawsuit against PSA on the grounds that the denial of health insurance claims causes irreparable harm, thereby warranting an injunction against the Company. We were told that there would be no changes in the plan when switching to this new administrator except the addition of a fourth-tier prescription plan, but that was clearly not true.
Considering the above issues, the MEC presented and unanimously passed a resolution of no confidence last Thursday. It is the opinion of the MEC that these issues, and many others, are a direct result of Dion Flannery’s leadership style. The MEC has lost faith in Mr. Flannery’s ability to successfully lead and grow PSA. The Company continues to throw millions in pilot recruiting, but has clearly lost sight of what is important, and by far the best recruiting tool, the morale and well-being of the employees who make this operation successful day in and day out.
In unity,
Travis Ricks
Chairman, PSA MEC
06-13-2017, 07:04 AM
#3
Roll’n Thunder
Joined APC: Oct 2009
Position: Pilot
Posts: 3,552
The FMLA and insurance stuff are very serious issues. We already scratch and claw to get paid correctly, we shouldn't need to scratch and claw to make sure our basic health needs are covered.
Also, I guarantee this was timed to come out specifically on the day of the town hall meeting...
Also, I guarantee this was timed to come out specifically on the day of the town hall meeting...
06-13-2017, 08:07 AM
#5
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2014
Posts: 742
Originally Posted by jetflyer123
Managers don’t typically quit for no apparent reason. Further, when someone in a high management position retires or resigns, a company typically does not bury the retirement story at the bottom of a weekly news e-mail.
06-14-2017, 07:11 AM
#6
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jun 2016
Posts: 125
Just saw this in the ALPA daily newsletter. Hahaha I wonder if more will come. Perfect picture for the article by the way. Funny.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/business/union-votes-confidence-psa-airlines-president/4MI3dIc51x1KSzeQb9Kv8O/
http://www.daytondailynews.com/business/union-votes-confidence-psa-airlines-president/4MI3dIc51x1KSzeQb9Kv8O/
06-14-2017, 07:17 AM
#7
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jun 2016
Posts: 125
Originally Posted by Slick111
That is an outstanding observation and important point. Bravo!
06-14-2017, 08:53 AM
#8
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2015
Posts: 323
Originally Posted by jetflyer123
Yeah I thought it was a good point too. Never thought about that before honestly. Of course I actually didn't even know MK left until someone told me they thought AC was going to be the new DO. Is that official yet btw? Also heard MK was fired.
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