Flight Attendants Petition Management To "Negotiate In Good
Faith"
The latest development in the long-running labor dispute at US
Airways has seen the Tempe, AZ-based airline file suit against the
its pilots union, claiming they are actively engaged in a labor
action designed to cause flight delays.
The union denies that pilots are engaged in any deliberate work
slowdown.
In the lawsuit, US Airways says that operations at its hub at
Charlotte/Douglas International Airport have been impacted
"dramatically," with a substantial increase in flight delays and
baggage that is not transferred to connecting flights. Charlotte is
the airline's busiest hub.
The Charlotte Observer reports that US Airways CEO Doug
Parker said in an e-mail to employees that filing the suit was not
a step that was taken lightly, but "we simply can no longer allow
the labor union's illegal and misguided actions to harm US Airways,
our employees and our customers."
Reuters reports that USAPA, the union representing the pilots,
denies that there is any coordinated effort among pilots to slow
down the airline's operations. Capt. James Ray, the union
spokesman, called the allegations "categorically false," saying the
suit is just "an escalation of the pilot intimidation campaign that
started more than three years ago when they tried to discipline
pilots for requesting additional reserve fuel." The union place a
full-page ad in USA Today on July 22nd accusing US Airways of not
doing enough to ensure its airplanes were safe to fly.
US Airways says that the rate at which passengers bags do not
make a connecting flight at Charlotte has risen by 45 percent over
it's historical average of between 11 and 12 bags per thousand
passengers.
In the lawsuit, the airline is seeking an injunction that would
require the union to direct the pilots not to engage in any
deliberate effort to slow down the airline's operations.
The airline is also in a dispute with flight attendants working
for its regional subsidiary PSA, flying as US Airways Express, and
PSA FAs and their supporters reportedly have signed a petition en
masse urging airline management to "negotiate in good faith on
important economic and quality of life issues."
Veda Shook
The petition was delivered to US Airways Group CEO Doug Parker
last week. "PSA Flight Attendants are committed to reaching a new
agreement that honors our contributions to the airline," Sheila
Revis, AFA PSA President, said in a news release. "PSA Flight
Attendants not only are integral to the success of PSA Airlines,
but we are a key constituent to the success of US Airways as well.
Management must come to the table and negotiate a fair contract and
we are encouraging Doug Parker to exercise leadership and ensure
that progress is made."
"Just as PSA contributes to the success of US Airways, PSA
Flight Attendants are key to the success of PSA and US Airways. It
is time that their role as first responders is recognized with
meaningful contract improvements. We applaud PSA Flight Attendants
for their continued dedication to raising the bar for all Flight
Attendants. They are a vital part of our Flight Attendant union,"
said Veda Shook, AFA International President.
Classic Aero-TV: Remembering Bob Hoover
See All