ExpressJet
Negotiations Impacted by Government Shutdown
The government shutdown caused
the October dates to be cancelled.
Negotiations resumed this past week with the Federal Mediator in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The parties continued where they
had left off on Section 22 – (General and Miscellaneous), with the sides having
direct meetings and discussions of the outstanding issues, with both sides
passing proposals on this section.
While the discussions were
fruitful, the parties were unable to reach a tentative agreement on the section
during the session.
Negotiations are scheduled to
resume in January.
UAL Discussions on Hold as Company Announces Intent to File for
Mediation
Negotiations in an attempt to
finalize the joint CBA with UAL management continued in Chicago this past week with the company
presenting a comprehensive proposal early in the week that the union rejected
after a thorough review which led the committee to determine it would be
concessionary for many members.
Thursday evening, the union gave
its comprehensive final proposal to the company. It did so after working
shoulder-to-shoulder with its financial, legal and actuarial experts to develop
a contract that meets the members’ needs while satisfying the company’s
objectives. In less than a half an hour,
the Company rejected the Union’s proposal and
stated that the proposal was significantly more expensive than it could
afford. The Company also advised the
union that it intended to apply for formal NMB mediation.
The Company’s filing this
evening brings an end to 10-months of intense, direct negotiations facilitated
by the NMB under a special process that the Company had asked the Union and the
NMB to participate in. The purpose of the facilitated process was for securing
a mutually agreed upon collective bargaining agreement on an expedited
basis.
“While the committee is deeply
disappointed at the outcome, it was our hope to reach a consensual agreement
through direct negotiations. We remain ready to meet at any time and at any
place to finalize this agreement in a manner that will best reward the
membership for its hard work,” said Division Representative Bob Fisher.
“The NMB worked tirelessly with
both the Union and the Company to reach such
an agreement. NMB Representatives who
have worked with the parties throughout direct negotiations have committed to
continue working with the parties while in formal mediation and have expressed
their hope that a mutually satisfactory agreement can be reached,” said
Division Director David Bourne.
In a message to the membership,
the committee reminded the membership that the only official source of
negotiations information will be from the negotiating committee, the Division
or their Local Representatives, urging them not fall victim to rumors.
Airline Industry News
Governmental and Regulatory
The Justice
Department
said it is willing to settle its antitrust lawsuit over the proposed merger
between US Airways and American Airlines. However, the government is asking for
the carriers to divest valuable slots at Reagan National.
The Federal Aviation
Administration issued an
overhaul
of flight training requirements on Tuesday. "This rule will give our
pilots the most advanced training available to handle emergencies they may
encounter," FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said.
The Federal Aviation
Administration said the implementation of NextGen is
vulnerable
to the political nature of its funding. "We remain committed to NextGen in
its current schedule, but we need greater fiscal certainty this year and
beyond," said FAA Deputy Administrator Michael Whitaker.
Airlines, Industry and Labor
Airport executives are speaking
out in opposition to the Transportation Security Administration's plan to abdicate its
responsibility for staffing passenger exit lanes. "It's no secret that the
airport community and the aviation community at large has some grave concerns
about the approach and policy that TSA is taking on this," said Carter
Morris, the senior vice president for security policy at the American
Association of Airport Executives.
Tammy Romo, CFO for Southwest
Airlines, said the government shutdown is expected to cost
the carrier up to $25 million in lost revenue for November. Southwest suffered
a similar revenue loss last month from the shutdown, Romo said.
Indigo Partners has a tentative deal with pilots but not the
Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. The company plans to go ahead with its
acquisition of Frontier Airlines, and will waive the clause about reaching a
deal with the flight attendants' union.
Boeing reached a
tentative deal with its machinist union on Tuesday over production of the 777X
in Washington
state. A letter of understanding between the two parties says that Boeing
"agrees to locate the 777X wing fabrication and assembly, and final
assembly of the 777X in Puget Sound" if
the deal is ratified by a union vote on Nov. 13.
Today, in honor of Armistice
Day; “the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” of 1918;
what we now call Veterans Day, the offices of the Airline Division will be
closed.
We hope that you will join us as
we each offer a moment of remembrance for the veterans, past and present for
their selfless dedication to our nation. We will re-open for regular business
on Tuesday, November 12th.