The pilot unions of both airlines are negotiating a joint contract that would cover the merged workforce, as are other work groups. Getting each group to a single contract is a key milestone of the nearly 1-year-old merger.
"We should fold up our briefcases and go home if they think for one minute this is going to be a cost-neutral contract," said Jack Stephan, chairman of the US Airways pilots union. He said "that song will play as well as" the recently introduced "I Make Us Fly" employee marketing campaign, which some employees derided.
Stephan said he only expects a dozen or so union officials at the informational rally in Philadelphia, US Airways' biggest hub in terms of revenue. But the union is already organizing pilots to volunteer for similar action in the future.
In a hotline message to pilots last week, officials said solidarity is needed "to achieve a fair contract and put an end to bankruptcy profiteering here at US Airways."
The era of airline employee "give back" to save their job is over. Profit sharing formulas do not come close to offset what was "given" (taken). Don't be surprised at attempts to import foreign pilots to fly at striking US airlines.
Posted by: vineyard1guy | November 15, 2007 8:22 AM | Permalink to Comment