Piedmont Negotiations Update
Negotiations resumed on Monday, August 18. The negotiating committee used Monday as an internal day to review economic information worked up for the committee by their IBT economist based on input from the committee and to plan further discussions based on that information.
The week’s meetings with the Company were focused on discussions looking for ways to break the current logjam on economic issues. The union offered a number of suggestions to the company in the hopes that they would assist the company in moving forward and finding a settlement that would be fair for everyone.
Although the company indicated some movement, there was no movement on the largest monetary issues. The company is saying that Piedmont must be competitive with PSA and Envoy. After stating that they wished to reach agreement regardless of the talks with the pilots, the company is still adamant that the union cannot attain fair raises in rates because it would make the company uncompetitive with PSA and Envoy; two carriers that they do not compete with on routes or aircraft type.
No new dates have been scheduled for the next round of discussions.
TAMC Takes to the Hill Seeking Bi-Partisan Support on Key Issues
Members of the TAMC blitzed Capitol Hill on Monday August 18th. The team of seven, led by Chris Moore and Dave Saucedo with assistance from the Albertine Group, was able to complete seventeen meetings in support of the TAMC agenda. The meetings targeted specific members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Subcommittee on Aviation and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety and Security.
The meetings were hugely successful in generating bi-partisan support for the two agenda items; support for a single standard for drug testing at foreign repair stations that is equal to the drug abatement programs required of FAA Part 121 carriers in the U.S., and a moratorium on certification of any new repair stations, foreign or domestic, until the FAA can prove adequate oversight.
Union members Tom Reid, (Local 210 IAD), Ervin Cornovaca, (Local 210 EWR), Fred Lewelling, (Local 19 IAH), Brian Everhart, (Local 2727 SDF) and Steve Medved, (Local 769 MCO) were on hand to relate front line instances of poor quality outsourced maintenance.
The TAMC would like to extend their sincere thanks to the members, Locals and Airline Division for their continuing support of TAMC initiatives.
A full report along with the meeting schedule will be published in the October TAMC Newsletter.
Mediation Scheduled for Air India
Federal Mediator Jack Kane will begin mediation conferences in the Air India – IBT case beginning on August 27, 2014.
UAL Negotiations Update
August 19th through the 21st the parties met in Chicago under the direction of Federal Mediator Gerry McGuckin. On the 19th the parties were briefed by Mediator McGuckin on the negotiations process moving forward.
The parties then began the week by reviewing each party’s respective open items lists. A combined list of these open items and respective party positions was given to the mediator after this review. The parties then reviewed Articles line by line to ensure any new language accurately reflected what had been agreed to in previous sessions.
At the end of the week the parties TA’d final language on two Articles and reached agreement in principle on final language in 201 paragraphs and sub paragraphs covering nine other Articles. The Articles TA’d were: Board of Arbitration – (Article 20) and Apprentice Mechanics (Article 23).
The other Articles containing the finalized language paragraphs were Definitions (Article 2), Filling of Vacancies (Article 5), Reduction in Force (RIF) and Recall (Article 6), Holidays (Article 8), Field Trips (Article 12), Union Security (Article 18), Grievance Procedure (Article 19), General & Miscellaneous (Article 21) and Transportation (Article 22).
Mediator McGuckin was pleased with the work at the end of the week accomplished by the parties and thanked the negotiators for performing this very important step in the process. The progress made this week puts the parties in a much better position to begin passing comprehensive economic proposals in the next few sessions.
Negotiating sessions were scheduled for one week each month through year’s end in various locations, beginning with a short session at The National Mediation Board HQ in Washington, DC on September 11th and 12th. October’s sessions will be held in Chicago the 20th through the 24th with future locations to be determined. Tentatively the November session will be held during the week of the 17th and the December session will be held the week of the 8th.
Airline Industry News
Governmental and Regulatory
The Federal Aviation Administration approved the use of SafeRoute avionics for the Airbus A320. SafeRoute, which relies on ADS-B, received Supplemental Type Certification from the FAA.
The chairman of the Senate committee that oversees transportation issues called Monday for U.S. airlines to disclose how they inform customers about extra fees that are added to the cost of their flight tickets and how they protect information that is collected about passengers.
Airlines, Industry and Labor
Airlines, Industry and Labor
United Airlines is whipping up a new menu for first-class passengers on shorter flights. Passengers in premium seating on flights of at least 800 miles will receive fresh meals instead of prepackaged snacks.
According to Airlines for America, U.S. airlines improved their net profit margin in the first half of 2014. During the first six months of the year, airlines reported a 5% net profit margin, compared to 2.1% in the same period of 2013.
Boeing's plan to increase production of its 737 aircraft has drawn praise from some analysts. "In emerging markets, there is huge demand for aircraft of all sizes, and that trend is going to be present for years to come," said Jim Corridore, an analyst at S&P Capital IQ.
US Airways flew a Boeing 737 aircraft for the last time on Tuesday, saying goodbye to the iconic plane that has been part of the carrier's fleet for 30 years. Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines are the only U.S. carriers still flying the 737 Classic.
Boeing could further boost production for its best-selling 737 aircraft, experts say. Boeing produces 42 737 aircraft per month, and some analysts predict that could be eventually ramped up to 60 aircraft per month. By 2017, Boeing already announced plans to increase production to 47 aircraft per month.
