Urges Members To Contact Their Representatives In Congress
Beginning last week, the Allied
Pilots Association asked its members to contact lawmakers on
Capitol Hill to echo the union’s concerns about American
Airlines’ joint venture plans and related application for
antitrust immunity. The union says in response to the request APA
e-mailed to its members, well over half of the airline’s
active pilots have already responded by sending messages to their
US representatives.
As ANN reported, American, British Airways,
Iberia, Finnair and Royal Jordanian recently filed an application
for worldwide antitrust immunity and have been seeking rapid
approval of their application. American Airlines also recently
announced it had reached a "joint business agreement" with British
Airways and Iberia.
That hasn't gone over well with APA... which represents 12,000
pilots at American, and is locked in contentious talks with
management over better pay. Hoping to put an end to the proposed
JV, the union has implored lawmakers and regulators to conduct a
full examination of related national security, competitiveness and
outsourcing issues associated with American Airlines' plans.
"The federal government depends upon US airlines to carry troops
and supplies in wartime as the nation's Civil Reserve Air Fleet,"
said APA President Captain Lloyd Hill. "Are we comfortable having
foreign-flagged aircraft ferry our troops in wartime?"
Hill questioned whether granting American Airlines the ability
to enter into a "virtual merger" with non-US carriers would
conflict with Congress' limits on foreign ownership and control. He
also emphasized the need to understand how the various nations'
different labor laws would be reconciled.
"The unintended negative consequences we are experiencing from
the relaxation of financial market regulations serve as a potent
reminder of the need to undertake thorough due diligence where
complex deals like this are concerned," Hill said.
He also reiterated the union's job security concerns.
"Capacity-sharing arrangements such as what American Airlines is
seeking to enter into are actually a form of industry
consolidation, potentially resulting in yet more hard-working
Americans' jobs being eliminated," Hill said.
In addition, Hill cited contractual limitations on American
Airlines' ability to proceed with its plans.
"We have two ongoing arbitration proceedings that directly
relate to the feasibility of these deals," Hill said.