Airline Pilot Central Forums - Union Thing @ US Airways

In response to a previous Op-Ed, the following Op-Ed was published in the Arizona Republic on Saturday, January 17th.

East took high ground in pilot-union squabble
Editorial by Joe Monda - Jan. 17, 2009 12:00 AM

There are two sides to every story, and this is especially true of the recent Arizona Republic guest column ("AmWest pilots get short end of straw," Opinions, Jan. 6) by 1st Officer Patrick O'Neill concerning US Airways and America West pilot seniority integration.

First and foremost, no West pilot has lost a job to a laid-off (or active) East pilot. US Airways operates as two separate airlines. During the fuel crunch, management reduced more flights in the West because of unprofitable routes, and although the new union's seniority integration proposal would not permit East pilots to take West jobs, Mr. O'Neill proposes that West pilots take East jobs.

At the time of the merger, AmWest was on the brink of its third bankruptcy, and its ATSB (Air Transportation Stabilization Board) loan was due. CEO Doug Parker told employees that West bankruptcy plans included a minimum of 15 percent employee reductions.

US Airways, already in bankruptcy, had raised approximately $500 million for its exit. The strength of the US Airways franchise was validated in the six postmerger quarterly filings when management separated East and West data: East profits were $633 million; West were $11 million.

As for removing the old union, Mr. O'Neill failed to mention that West pilots had previously attempted to remove the same Union (Air Line Pilots Association) that the combined US Airways pilot group recently decertified.

The East-West seniority integration deadlock was the straw that broke the camel's back - ALPA was gone.

East-West pilot relations had further deteriorated as the chairman of the old AmWest pilot union approached management and stated, "West pilots would be outraged" if management paid East pilots equally.

Imagine your union brother preventing equal pay for equal work!

Considering the following facts, one can see why East pilots would not vote for the collective bargaining agreement: 1) Newly hired West pilots being placed ahead of 17-year East pilots who were never laid off and 2) the direct transfer of 2,373 East captain years flying premium-coveted transoceanic routes, to which West pilots had no access.

Imagine a veteran 21-year 1st officer seeing his captain opportunity go to a pilot 17 years his junior after giving up 60 percent of his pay and his entire pension to keep his company viable.

Every union-represented employee group at US Airways used the time-proven union standard "date of hire" to merge employees. The new pilot union used date of hire, but unlike other unions, used potent conditions and restrictions to protect the jobs, pay and working conditions that West pilots brought to the merger.

While Mr. O'Neill speaks of moral bankruptcy, his sole intent is to advance his career at the expense of his senior pilots from the East and take their current positions.

The East pilots remain on the moral high ground and, through the new union, will protect the seniority of all pilots, both East and West.

US Airways East 1st Officer Joe Monda served four years at Eastern Airlines and 21 years at US Airways.