This appears to be a giant failure when you consider the only crisis is that the company is in need of fleet replacement. I do this in my home with many appliances and it is a part of normal operation. This is no different at the airline. Though if they can try why not have the pilots subsidize the costs by using the fear that they might not be replaced.

The next logical step is to have pilots subsidize the costs of rising fuel, or expensive modifications required for CAT II approaches.

The pilots are clearly being taken advantage of with their weakness to worship the pretty planes we operate. Maintenance would balk at the idea of concessions to help management build a bigger and better hangar.


Here are the rest of the negotiating bylaws...

PART 1 - CRISIS AND CONCESSIONARY NEGOTIATIONS

A. GENERAL PROCEDURES

SOURCE - Board 1984; AMENDED - Board 1992
1. As a prerequisite to the initiation of negotiations deemed to be concessionary by an MEC, a Company or Holding Company seeking concessions shall provide to the MEC, at a minimum:

a. On-site financial analysis in accordance with Section 40, Part 3B above.

b. A factual, objective review of how the Company came to need relief.

c. A detailed Company recovery plan, both short and long term.

d. Documentation from the Company in the form of a detailed bankruptcy plan showing who specifically has the power to dissolve the airline and under what specific conditions.

e. A Company liquidation study, if one exists.

f. Access to pertinent corporate accounting records, operating plans and other financial documents necessary to obtain the clearest available financial picture of that Company.

2. ALPA shall provide to the MEC:

a. Coordination directly through the President's office.

b. Staff support for costing the financial impact of various concessions.

c. Staff support for determining the financial condition of the concerned carrier.

3. The MEC shall provide:

a. An increased level of communications with the President through the MEC Chairman, providing at least full information concerning the nature of the alleged crisis and the type of relief requested.

b. An effort to establish and maintain some type of daily communications with the MEC/LEC members, so as to provide a link to the membership with factual information.

c. Direction to the Negotiating Committee to make every reasonable effort to obtain a quid pro quo for any contractual relief.

B. QUID PRO QUO EXCHANGES

SOURCE - Board 1984; AMENDED - Board 1992; Administrative January 1998 (Canada Reference Added); Board 1998
Any negotiations considered by an MEC to be concessionary shall be conducted with every effort to obtain quid pro quo exchanges of no/low cost contractual amendments for conceded contractual items. The Negotiating Committee, Contract Administrators, and the Economic and Financial Analysis Department analyst shall quantify the value of any conceded contractual items. The Negotiating Committee shall exchange no/low cost substitutes from, but not limited to, the list outlined as follows:
1. Snapback clauses. Concessions, whether in the form of wage reductions/deferrals, pension plan changes, working conditions or other forms, should include contractual provisions (snapback clauses) which return the benefit at some time to its pre‑concession level to avoid having to negotiate the benefit back at a later date (i.e. "buy back" your own concession). Doing so will also reduce the pressure on other pilot groups to match those concessions in subsequent negotiations.

2. Job Security/Protection

a. Scope.

b. Successorship.

c. Code share protection.

d. International flying protection.

e. Protection against furlough.

f. Guaranteed new Captain positions.

g. Corporate transaction protection:

(1) Total transaction

(2) Partial transaction

(3) Application of ALPA Merger Policy

(4) Labor Protective Provisions

(5) Change of Control

(6) Expedited dispute resolution

(7) Holding company letter of agreement

3. First right of hire for ALPA members, or improvement to such clauses.

4. Pension plan protection:

a. Establishment of a Retirement Board with pilot representation to oversee administration and adjudicate disputed claims.

b. Control/joint control in selection of trustee and investment managers.

c. Monthly employer contributions into defined benefit plans.

d. Protection against/in event of employer stock contributions to defined benefit plans.

e. Confirmation of receipt by trustee of employer contributions.

f. Control/joint control in selection of plan actuary.

g. Control/joint control over actuarial assumptions and funding method utilized to calculate annual cost.

h. Protection against Company's ability to file and obtain funding waivers. (A U.S.Company can apply to the IRS, or applicable Canadian agency, for a waiver any time it feels unable to meet the minimum funding requirements. A waived contribution negates the annual cost of the plan for that year and allows the Company five years to pay it, spread evenly over the next five years. Benefit provisions cannot be increased until the total waived amount is repaid, in effect putting a freeze on pension negotiations for a period not to exceed five years.)

i. Provide a funding vehicle to pay full contractual benefits in the event a benefit is limited by application of the Internal Revenue Code, or applicable Canadian regulations.

j. Control/joint control over plan termination and disposition of any excess assets.

5. Insurance plan protection:

a. Medical and life insurance benefits should be provided on a non-contributory basis, but if conditions persist which do not allow non-contributory plans, provisions shall be obtained to minimize fixed contributions and cap contributions that are subject to escalation. All available arrangements or plans should be utilized to provide for any required pilot contributions to be made on a pre-tax basis.

b. Obtain medical and life insurance cost information on an annual basis to audit and verify the effect of pilot contributions on the total experience of the plans involved.

c. Provide adequate, pre-funded health and life insurance for active pilots and dependents. Adequate coverage shall also be provided in the event of furlough, strike, bankruptcy, leaves of absences, disability retirement or death.

d. Obtain adequate conversion policies in the event of termination of health or life insurance benefits.

e. Obtain Review Board with pilot representation to oversee administration and adjudicate disputed claims.

6. Payback provisions for wage deferrals or wage cuts. When providing wage deferrals or cuts and subsequently discussing payback provisions, give consideration to the form of the payback (such as security, cash, stock, bonds, the interest generated by the savings, and/or employee stock ownership in lieu of paybacks).

a. Interest. Your carrier is making use of your money for a particular period of time. Consider it a loan, and have the Company pay interest.

b. Security (stock, bonds, notes, etc.). If the Company plans to give a concession back, obtain this assurance in writing (e.g. a promissory note or written security).

c. Alternate Compensation. This can be in the form of stock bonus plans or profit sharing plans as quid pro quo for concessions.

7. Flight Pay Loss. In some instances, contracts call for the Company to pay Flight Pay Loss for pilots on ALPA business, including safety and accident investigation, or other appropriate activities, the theory being that in many instances the pilots are working to resolve Company problems.

8. Improvements in grievance procedures. By streamlining the grievance procedure, both the carrier and ALPA will profit. Both have concern over losses. Time and money might be saved through reduction or elimination of appeal steps.

9. Corporate Governance:

a. Management access and review, either open door policy or definite time and place for regular meetings, with full access to future short and long term plans.

b. Seat on the Board of Directors.

c. Special voting provisions or restrictions on major corporate issues.

10. Resolution of troublesome local issues. Both ALPA and management profit from the resolution of grievances or problems before they get on the record. A side benefit is better rapport with local managers.

11. Cockpit jumpseat authority and jurisdiction.

12. ALPA staff passes or cockpit authority. Passes save ALPA money when its staff travel to work on problems in the field. They also provide a good opportunity for staff to meet crews in their work environment.

13. ALPA-PAC check-off for U.S. ALPA airlines.

 

Hold the Line PSA! Please!!!

 

That's what many are missing. It's about neither. This is really about resetting the regional industry to a new paradigm that will enslave all who exist in it within a few years. As one who has proclaimed himself as one who plans to ride Eagle and thus this industry into the terrain, you have more to lose than most.

Unless a current regional pilot is absolutely, positively sure they'll be out of this segment of the industry within 3-4 years, they need to treat this succession of door-to-door poison selling like the devastating threat it is. If they sell it at one door in the neighborhood, the whole neighborhood will become mortally ill.

 

We even found your contract that the CEO and ALPA president signed just 5 months ago.

http://www.psapilots.com/DOCS/Track%...-19%201559.pdf

 

So should we go jumpseat on as many psa flights as possible to spread the word on how important it is to vote no? I don't know what else to do. I don't know anyone at psa to get a read on the attitude of most the psa guys.

 

Most PSA people want you all to mind your own ****ing business. notice its almost all outside airline people on this forum. PSA people, especially DAY and TYS crews, are close knit and stick to themselves. respect the democratic process, they will vote as they see fit. the bullying and scare tactics don't work. and trust me, if you show up on the jumpseat on a PSA flight and bring up the TA.....have fun.

 

While I don't advocate using the jumpseat as a political tool...

If somebody starts talking to a PSA flight crew about the TA mid-flight, what are you gonna do? Pull the plane over and make him get out?

 

no, im just saying if all of a sudden a bunch of disgruntled regional pilots started jumpseating on our flights and kept poking us to vote no, it would pass 95%. a lot of us are becoming very annoyed with the way outside airlines have handled this TA. If you are informed and speak an educated opinion, fine. but the bashing, bullying, jumpseat denying on eagle (already happening) are just too far and out of line. voting doesn't even close till the 27th.

Just saying relax and mind your own business. I WISH I had the time to jumpseat around and tell other companies how to run their show.

 

[QUOTE=PeopleMover90;1486850
Just saying relax and mind your own business .[/QUOTE]

Not going to happen as long as someone is trying to set a new low standard for the profession.



*September 19, 2013

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Fellow Chicago Pilots of EGL 133,

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The tentative agreement at PSA officially marks a new low in the race to the bottom of the regional airline profession. PSA was already cost-competitive before this tentative agreement. The 4-year first officer and 12-year captain pay caps, if ratified at that property, may well become the standard in the industry, and if that occurs, it will harm current PSA pilots and all those who follow us as regional pilots. Other highlights of the PSA tentative agreement include increases in health insurance costs, a permanent freeze on per diem, and 10-year duration. Despite onerous concessions, the agreement provides no guaranteed career progression, no guaranteed increase in flying, and no contract amendment process.

*

This should not be a concessionary time in our industry. Consolidation has just begun to allow ticket prices to rise. Airlines are missing hiring targets by large margins. Pilots are now more valuable than ever. It’s time for regional pilot pay to go up, not down. It’s time for benefits to improve, not shrink. It’s time to take back our profession, not give it away.

*

If the PSA agreement ratifies, the fallout across the industry could be devastating as managements at airline after airline, including Eagle, demand that their pilots compete with the new cost model created by PSA. The PSA agreement is not just bad for PSA pilots, it’s bad for our entire profession.

*

If you know any PSA pilots, encourage them to stand strong against this attack on our profession. PSA is not in bankruptcy, is not about to shut down, and its pilot costs are already competitive. The pilots at PSA should turn down this deal and direct their negotiators to go back to management to develop solutions that work for PSA pilots and their families

 

Whether we say yes or not someone will.

It's the regionals people. Get a life. This IS the new norm.