US Airline Pilots Association

Infobox Union|
name= USAPA
country= United States
affiliation=
members= Legally represents approx 5200 US Airways pilots.
full_name= US Airline Pilots Association
native_name=
founded= 2007
current=
head=
dissolved_date=
dissolved_state=
merged_into=
office= Charlotte, NC
people= First Officer Stephen Bradford
website= http://www.usairlinepilots.org/
footnotes=

The US Airline Pilots Association (USAPA) is the collective bargaining agent for US Airways pilots. The US Airline Pilots Association replaced the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) in a representational election and is an "in-house union" representing the interests of the US Airways pilots. The election for a collective bargaining agent, authorized and administered by the National Mediation Board (NMB), concluded on April 17, 2008 with the USAPA prevailing by a margin wide enough for the NMB to refuse any further challenges. USAPA became the NMB-certified bargaining agent for all US Airways pilots effective April 18, 2008; however, it remains largely unrecognized by its west coast pilots.

Member Pilot Group

* US Airways

Integrated seniority list controversy

There has been much controversy surrounding the formation of the USAPA and the removal of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) as the bargaining representative for US Airways pilots. This controversy is mostly centered around the method used to integrate seniority lists from the two airlines, and has resulted in a division in the ranks between the previous US Airways pilots (often referred to as the East pilots) and the former America West pilots (often referred to as the West pilots). [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/27/business/27pilots.html NY Times: Pilots' Battles Over Seniority Play Havoc With Airline Mergers] ( [http://usairlinepilots.org/news-finance.htm Alternate copy] )]

In 2005, America West merged with US Airways. Before and after the merger, ALPA was the bargaining representative for pilots from both airlines. During merger negotiations in late 2006, representatives from the two pilot groups were unable to reach an agreement with respect to integration of seniority. The US Airways pilots' proposal was to base seniority primarily on date-of-hire. This would place the more established US Airways pilots at the top of the ranks, while nearly 80% of the of the America West pilots would be at the bottom of the seniority lists. This was not acceptable to the America West pilots. The America West pilots' proposal included a plan that defined a series of ratios would maintain relative seniority for all pilots, East and West, in the new organization, with the goal of preserving career expectations for all pilots. This proposal would place many US Airways pilots with more longevity in their respective airline in a position below a higher ratio of America West pilots, which was not acceptable to the US Airways pilots. The issue was eventually submitted to binding arbitration through ALPA arbitration board.

In May 2007, the arbitration board released its judgment which awarded 512 top seniority positions to the most senior US Airways pilots, but also blended the seniority of the remaining active pilots. Furloughed US Airways pilots were placed at the bottom of the list. There are many other details to the award, such as plane and route assignments, but it was generally seen to favor the America West position. [ [http://www.awappa.org/Uploads/Nicolau%20Award.pdf The "Nicolau Award" (ALPA Arbitration Results)] ] [ [http://www.thestreet.com/s/union-fight-ups-stakes-at-us-airways/newsanalysis/transportation/10389945.html The Street: Union Fight Ups Stakes at US Airways] ] Many US Airways pilots contended that this agreement violated ALPA policies and was contrary to generally accepted practices for defining seniority primarily based on date-of-hire. US Airways pilots also alleged other errors in the award, including the treatment of MDA (Mid-Atlantic Division) pilots as furloughed pilots. [ [http://www.planebusiness.com/planebuzzlinkfiles/mecusairways.pdf US Airways MEC Presentation to ALPA Executive Council, MAY 21, 2007] ]

The USAPA was formed later in 2007. Its constitution lists "date-of-hire" as the primary methodology to be used for establishing or merging seniority lists [An [http://www.allbusiness.com/labor-employment/labor-relations-labor-unions/5274034-1.html early USAPA press release] listed "date-of-hire" as the "only" methodology. The [http://www.usairlinepilots.org/misc_docs/USAPA-Constitution.pdf USAPA Constitution] (paragraph I.8.D) adds "with reasonable conditions and restrictions to preserve each pilot’s un-merged career expectations.] , which would greatly improve the standing of the East pilots, who outnumbered the West pilots by nearly 2:1. [Of the 5200 pilots in the combined organization, approximately 1800 are former America West pilots.] This policy difference and a suggested general dissatisfaction with ALPA's representation of US Airways pilots over the years have been suggested as the main reasons for replacing ALPA with USAPA. [ [http://www.usairlinepilots.org/faq.htm#inequities_of_the_Nicolau USAPA FAQ stating other reasons for ALPA desertification] ]

The US Airways West pilots see the formation of USAPA as a clear attempt to circumvent or nullify the previously awarded binding arbitration results. US Airways West pilots have generally declined to join USAPAFact|date=May 2008 and do not believe the new union represents their best interests. They have formed another organization, the America West Airline Pilots Protective Alliance (AWAPPA), specifically to promote the preservation of the seniority arbitration results. [ [http://www.awappa.org America West Airlines Pilots Protective Alliance (AWAPPA)] ]

An ongoing lawsuit, filed by USAPA, contends that AWAPPA and several individual West pilots are in violation of Rico conspiracy statutes by allegedly trying to replace USAPA as the collective bargaining agent for US Airways pilots. However, AWAPPA's main stated goal is to protect the legally binding Nicolau Award. This lawsuit has driven a further wedge between East and West pilots, as the West pilots feel that the lawsuit is nothing more than a veiled attack on the Nicolau Award. The defendants filed a motion to dismiss and judge in the Federal Court has dismissed the RICO charges with prejudice. It remains to be seen whether USAPA expend further resources by filing any of their lesser claims in state court.

On or about July 16, 2008 USAPA took out a full page add in USA Today complaining to the public at large that US Airways management wants to erode Captain's authority. The company has asked 8 pilots to come in for training with regard to fuel loading as it appears that these 8 are routinely carrying excess fuel. This training is not sanctioned by the FAA, nor is in any training syllabus at US Airways. 8 Pilots represent less than .2% of the aggregate pilot roster. This has been a common tactic used by the company to intimidate the pilot group as a whole.

Many believe that the fuel issue has only to do with ongoing negotiations, however, this is not true, nor would provide any leverage. This is a line that management claims has never been crossed at this airline.

References

External links

* [http://www.usairlinepilots.org/ Official site]
* [http://www.thestreet.com/s/union-fight-ups-stakes-at-us-airways/newsanalysis/transportation/10389945.html TheStreet.com article about the association]
* [http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/apwire/e5693971eccfbae9127a667709e824e7.htm CNNMoney article about the association]