Airline Division Week In Review - September 14, 2014

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UAL Negotiations Update  The parties met in Washington DC on September 11th and 12th at the offices of the National Mediation Board under the auspices of mediator Gerry McGuckin.  Thursday morning the company presented a comprehensive economic term sheet proposal. After the company explained their proposal to the full union committee the work of producing a counter proposal began.  The rank and file negotiating committee spent the next day and a half, working late into the night on Thursday, reviewing and putting in writing the counter proposal. With help from lead negotiator Clacy Griswold, the committee was able to present its counter on Fridayafternoon.   Included in both of the parties’ proposals were items addressing Scope, Pensions, Health and Welfare and Wages. The committee was assisted in its Scope and Pension responses by attorney Ed Gleason, and for Health and Welfare by actuary Gaelle Gravot, and finally with Wages by economist Dan Akins.  Creative solutions are still being explored for health and welfare benefits, which are a major concern of the committee and the membership. One possible solution to health and welfare being discussed was TeamCare, which the UPS workers just recently accepted as their new plan.   After passing the counter proposal on Grievance Procedure, Article 19 was T/A’d. There was also some progress made on items that were not part of the four corner stones. Mediator McGuckin was satisfied with the progress made and encouraged the parties to work in small committees ahead of the next scheduled session in October.   The next formal negotiating session will be the week of October 20th in Chicago.  Kalitta Charters II Votes to Join Teamsters A recent organizing drive has culminated in a successful election to bring the Kalitta Charters II flight deck crewmembers into the Teamsters effective September 3, 2014.  “We welcome the crewmembers of Kalitta Charters to the Airline Division of the Teamsters and look forward to representing them,” said Airline Division Director Captain David Bourne.  These crewmembers will join Local 1224.  Republic Update  The NMB called the parties to Washington on Friday, September 12th, for a status report for the balance of 2014. Airline Industry News Airlines, Industry and Labor Boeing and Airbus are considering ramping up aircraft production to meet demand. "If we're going to make that decision, we would want to make that decision as soon as possible, because the market's already there," Barry Eccleston, president of Airbus Americas, said of the Airbus A320 family of aircraft. Meanwhile, Boeing has said it may boost production of its 737 aircraft.   Boeing executives said they do not plan to build a final assembly line in China after considering such a plan.   Ray Conner, CEO of commercial airplanes at Boeing, said the aircraft manufacturer may ramp up production of its 737. "There's incredible pressure to go higher," Conner said. Boeing produces 737s at a rate of 42 per month, and plans to increase production to 47 per month in 2017.