Today right? Anyone know about what time?

14.00 Eastern.

Just talking out loud in class. I wonder if this former ALPA V. ALPA scenario will have ramifications on the NWA / DAL merger.

FF

www.planebuzz.com and Holly Hedgeman reporting an Alpa loss by about 500 votes or so. Don't quite know where they got their information. Anybody heard from a more official source yet?

(17Apr2008)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Scott Theuer

April 17, 2008 US Airline Pilots Association

877-678-7272 x706





The US Airways Pilots vote for The US Airline Pilots Association as their new bargaining representative:



CHARLOTTE – The US Airways pilots voted for change today and have elected the US Airline Pilots Association (USAPA) to replace the Airline Pilots Association, Intl. (ALPA), as their new bargaining agent. The results of the election were announced by The National Mediation Board today at 2:00pm. The new union will collectively represent over 5,000 mainline US Airways pilots from the merger of US Airways and America West Airlines.

“The US Airways pilots have spoken for a change in union representation,” said USAPA interim President, Captain Stephen Bradford. “USAPA is ready on day one to begin a new era for all US Airways pilots, East and West. We will join the other great independent airline pilot unions on the national front, while our pilots enjoy single carrier union representation, solely focused on our pilots needs and fully accountable only to them.”

“In addition to providing quality services to the US Airways pilots, USAPA will approach management in a more businesslike fashion to address the deficiencies of the collective US Airways pilots’ contracts, both East and West; contracts which were originally accepted by the pilots during the hardships placed on the airlines during the post 9/11 era,” said Captain Bradford.

The US Airways pilots are one of the most senior and experienced pilot groups in the United States. We fly a large fleet of jet aircraft, including the Boeing B-737-300/400 and B-757/767 series, the Airbus A319/320/321 series, and the 266-seat Airbus A330.

US Airways pilots fly their passengers safely to more than 180 destinations, including Europe, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii and in the near future, China.

USAPA represents over 5,000 US Airways pilots in seven domiciles across the United States.

I bet the big whigs at ALPA are crapping theirselves right now. They are losing supporters right and left. They may not be in power much longer. This is a big blow for them. Losing 5,200 worth of member dues will hurt. I guess Prater won't get a huge paycheck anymore.

April 17, 2008

US Airways Pilots Leave ALPA Fold
WASHINGTON—The National Mediation Board (NMB) today announced that the pilots at US Airways have voted to leave the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) and form a separate union as their collective bargaining representative. There were 5,238 eligible pilot voters. Of them, 2,723 voted for the US Airline Pilots Association and 2,254 voted for ALPA.

“I want to thank all of the pilots who fought for their union and their futures during this tough campaign,” said Capt. John Prater, president of ALPA. “We were obviously hopeful that a majority of all US Airways pilots would make a different decision.”
The pilots who fly for the new US Airways flew previously for America West Airlines and US Airways and have operated under separate Master Executive Councils within the ALPA structure. A dispute among a number of US Airways pilots arose over an independent arbitrator’s decision regarding the pilots’ seniority, leading to a decertification effort and the NMB election.

“As an ALPA volunteer for nearly 20 years I have witnessed firsthand how ALPA has helped individual pilots by saving their careers and by saving lives. It’s going to be extremely difficult for me personally and professionally to watch what happens to this pilot group now,” said Capt. Jack Stephan, chairman of the US Airways pilot group. “Industry consolidation is inevitable, and the economy is slowing. I believe that these challenges will be too much to ask of an untested, under-funded union.”

Over the last year, ALPA and many pilots from both groups have worked hard to mutually resolve the pilots’ differences and make progress in negotiations with the company.

“We will not become victims of this unsuccessful merger,” said Capt. John McIlvenna, chairman of the America West pilot group. “The America West pilots are unified and will fight for fair representation in order to protect our careers and families.”

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilot union and will now represent more than 56,000 pilots at 41 airlines in the U.S. and Canada.

oh, now this is going to get real interesting. I best make sure to take off my ALPA pin before on a US airways flight.

How can you expect a Union, (ALPA) who's fore-fathers founded based on Date-of-Hire seniority, to survive when they abandon this policy?

In the late 1990's ALPA changed their forever standing merger policy from Date-of-Hire to "no windfall" and "career expectations". All of these policies were violated in the USAir - awa merger and yet ALPA stood by it. Just common sense; any union that would have one man (arbitrator) make such a huge decision that affects so many thousands of families' lives is not a union that I'd want. How ludicrous. In the courts we have a jury of our peers for just such a reason.

Should those pilots at NW or DAL be put on the bottom of the other group? They were both in bankruptsy. No that would not be fair to either group. Just like it is not fair to the pilots of USAirways. All the other employee groups at USAirways were merged DATE OF HIRE because this was the FAIR thing to do.

I think the USAirways pilots should have voted in AFA. They do a hell of a better job than ALPA.