Rift Stalls US Airways Pilot Pact Talks: East Coast Group Seeking Parity With Ex-AmWest Peers

By Donna Hogan, The Tribune, Mesa, Ariz.

Aug. 22–Pilots from the old US Airways want their pay raised immediately to match their counterparts from the former America West Airlines.

But Tempe-based US Airways management said it won’t negotiate unless everybody is at the bargaining table.

The two airlines merged in 2005. Airline management and the two separate branches of the Air Line Pilots Association have been working ever since to hammer out a single contract that would unite the two labor groups.

But instead of taking on management, the 2,600 East Coast pilots have been battling their 1,700 better-paid West Coast peers over seniority issues.

Seniority determines pilots’ pay and promotions, and it has become a flash point in the explosive negotiations. An arbitrator integrated the two pilot organizations into a single seniority list, but the East Coast pilots said they lost ground in the process. The situation disintegrated into lawsuits and countersuits that pit pilot against pilot.

And that has stalled joint contract negotiations with airline management.

US Airways CEO Doug Parker previously said he would raise the US Airways pilots to the higher pay scale of the West Coast pilots and give all a 3 percent raise as part of the joint contract.

But last week, the East Coast pilots figuratively walked away from the bargaining table, stating in a proclamation to US Airways that they “will not reengage in Joint Contract Negotiations until the US Airways Pilots are provided parity with our Brother and Sister pilots at America West.”

The document adds the pilots want the pay raise to be effective Sept. 1.

East Coast pilots union officials did not return calls to discuss the ultimatum.

But the airline is standing firm. Talks to forge the joint contract are scheduled to restart in late September, said Andrea Rader, US Airways spokeswoman.

“We’re not interested in negotiations that don’t include all parties,” Rader said. “We offered a contract three months ago. Doug Parker said he’s willing to sign it tomorrow. But we’re not interested in doing side deals. It doesn’t unify the work force.”

The West Coast pilots are even more miffed.

“We are disappointed and frustrated with this action by our union brothers and sisters on the East Coast, especially the ones that serve in leadership roles. They continue to make bad decisions,” said John McIlvenna, who heads up the West Coast pilot group.

McIlvenna said the East Coast union leaders are holding all pilots hostage, and he’s convinced it is to avoid the seniority designation.

“We have seen a clear intent to avoid implementation of or use of the seniority award,” McIlvenna said. “It’s very frustrating.”

—–

To see more of The Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.eastvalleytribune.com.

Copyright (c) 2007, The Tribune, Mesa, Ariz.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

NYSE:LCC,