ASA MEC update regarding XJT MEC
 

The ASA MEC (Master Executive Council) and the XJT MEC convened a joint meeting this week to discuss open issues with the JCBA (Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement), as well as how to move forward in a manner that represents the best interests of both groups. On Wednesday, the Company presented the joint MECs a financial briefing and reiterated their desire to move negotiations as quickly as possible. During this presentation, the financial situation of the Company was described by the Company as being a direct result of many factors, such as not achieving many of the combined efficiencies within labor groups, the extreme weather impact in comparison to previous years, missed completion and on-time performance incentives, and challenges with various reimbursement rates from major partners to cover rising costs associated with network and regulatory change requirements. It was candidly observed by the ASA MEC that the majority of the factors listed by the Company as contributing to the poor financial and operational performance were directly attributable to the decision to acquire XJT Airlines. At the conclusion of the briefing, the meeting was adjourned to allow both groups to separate and discuss amongst themselves the information that was presented.

On Thursday morning, the joint meeting resumed with the voting members discussing numerous ideas, viewpoints and concerns important to both groups. At times the meeting contained very candid discussions with spirited interaction.

A majority of the conversation centered on PBS (Preferential Bidding Systems) and the discrepancies between the two vendors being discussed for the combined pilot group to use in the JCBA. The ASA representatives made every attempt to educate and inform the XJT representatives of the known pitfalls associated with the globalized PBS system known as SmartPref currently being advocated for by some members of the XJT MEC. Furthermore, the ASA representatives strived to show the XJT representatives the whipsaw that is being created by actively negotiating an unproven system and the attendant waste of negotiating capital and efforts.

During these discussions, the XJT representatives were queried as to why neither the ASA CNC (Contract Negotiating Committee) nor the ASA PWG (PBS Working Group) were consulted before XJT committee members approached the Company to negotiate for SmartPref outside of the JCBA, an action specifically prohibited by the TPA (Transition and Process Agreement). It became clear that it was an incorrect understanding of their representatives that the ASA CNC was made aware of this meeting. No explanation was provided to the ASA MEC as to why some XJT MEC and committee members engaged in a course of action that was clearly detrimental to the ASA pilot group as well as to the overall goal of negotiating a JCBA.

At one point, the officers of both groups met in caucus with the JNC (Joint Negotiating Committee) and ALPA National staff members. Unfortunately, this meeting started with a disappointing tone, as the XJT Officers expressed disbelief in the financial briefing and communicated a refusal to even partially acknowledge the Company’s current financial condition. Equally disturbing in the context of a JCBA, the XJT MEC appears to still operate under the impression that having two separate pilot labor agreements is acceptable to the pilots and the company. This behavior threatens the livelihood and wellbeing of every pilot at XJT, whether they fly a CRJ or an ERJ.
The next joint meeting of the ASA and XJT MECs has been tentatively scheduled for August 11th, to be held in Atlanta. The ASA representatives were very appreciative of the XJT representatives’ candor but still remain cautious moving forward.

One List or NOTHING!

The L-XJT MEC seems to be pretty committed to the latter.

That's ok by me if the alternative is concessions. People just need to get over themselves and realize that 83% of us already said no to concessions. It's not personal.

Yikes! I really thought things were getting better. New contract or two old contracts you still have the anchor around your neck that is your entire ATL management team. I don't see the company surviving without functioning management.

The problem is (and always has been) that one sides "no concessions" is not necessarily supported by the other side.

That certainly is ONE problem. It should be that no side should support concessions for either side!

When one sorts through the fluff, there is one fundamental issue:

If LXJT has agreed that some sort of PBS system needs to be implemented (which is different than the current system of line bidding ), why then are they insisting on SmartPref to be the vendor?

Who disputes the facts given to the LASA side that "It's a slick "GUI" written around a 1990s algorithm that ran the 1st generation PBS TWA used. Every other airline group (except the XJT ERJ side) has passed on it. It has no users, and no support. It will take a great expense and time commitment to get working."

You will be hard-pressed to find anyone on the LASA side that has anything positive to say about the A-Tech management team. As far as I am concerned, a dead cadaver could do a better job of running this airline than the present team.