Thu, Feb 28, 2008
Takes Issue With Plan To Hire OpenSkies Pilots From Outside BA
Ranks
The Allied Pilots Association,
collective bargaining agent for the 12,000 pilots of American
Airlines, expressed its "unequivocal support" this week for British
Airways’ pilots in the ongoing outsourcing dispute at the UK
carrier.
As ANN reported, British
Airways announced a new, stand-alone airline named OpenSkies
scheduled to operate between New York and Paris beginning in June,
using a single Boeing 757 configured with 82 seats in premium
business, business and coach classes. Further plans call for six
757s by the end of next year.
Like their counterparts at the British Air Line Pilots
Association (BALPA,) American Airlines pilots take issue with the
fact OpenSkies pilots will not be drawn from the existing British
Airways pilots' seniority list, but rather hired from the outside
for lower pay.
"As far as outsourcing is concerned, the British Airways
pilots’ struggle is our struggle," said APA President Captain
Lloyd Hill. "Accordingly, we have pledged a broad range of support
to our fellow pilots at British Airways, including personnel and
financial resources, to help resist plans by their airline’s
management to establish an alter ego operation."
The union notes 86 percent of British Airways pilots voted
earlier this month to authorize a strike in response to
management’s plans for OpenSkies. A strike would be the first
in almost 30 years for British Airways pilots... although such
action appears unlikely in the short term, as both sides recently agreed to
arbitration.
"Our pilots have experienced firsthand the career damage brought
about by outsourcing," Hill said. "We stand foursquare behind our
British Airways colleagues in their efforts to stop this threat to
our collective livelihoods."
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