CHARLOTTE, N.C. (TheStreet) -- In a prominently displayed ad
that ran this week in several venues, four labor unions backed the merger of US Airways (LCC_) and American
(AAMRQ), which have taken the approach that
displays of public support will help their case.
The ad ran in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Politico
and elsewhere, and while it showcases labor support it also draws attention to
the absence of two key unions from the public relations campaign, which is
aimed at mustering political opposition to the Justice Department's lawsuit
opposing the merger. In the Wednesday edition of Times, the ad took up two
full adjoining pages.
One missing union is the International Association of
Machinists, the largest union at US Airways, where it represents both fleet
service workers and mechanics, about 9,300 of the 33,300 workers at the
carrier. The IAM has been clear about its rationale: Negotiations over its
contracts with the airline have dragged on for years.
Also missing is the U.S. Airline Pilots Association, which
represents US Airways pilots. The pilots would be major beneficiaries of a
merger because their two contracts are both among the worst in the airline
industry. Two airlines, America West and US Airways, merged into the existing
US Airways in 2005, but a seniority dispute has enabled the airline to defer
signing a new joint contract.
That has left pilots in a complicated position, in which
they would welcome a new contract but are not pleased with their treatment by
the US Airways management team,
which would head the new American. Many US Airways pilots believe that American
unions back the team because they lack familiarity with it and because the
grass is always greener elsewhere.
USAPA spokesman James Ray said the union has participated in
some areas of the lobbying campaign but has declined to be in others because
"sometimes the message isn't exactly what we would like to convey -- our
message is sometimes different than that of the other parties."
USAPA does, however, intend to file a brief supporting the
merger in U.S. District Court in Washington, where Judge Colleen Killar-Kotelly
will consider the Justice Department's case.
The USAPA board "wanted to say that the merger is good
for competition, but did not want to sign on to the ad," Ray said.
The newspaper ad proclaims "Our Planes Should Be Up in
the Air -- Not Our Jobs." It is signed by the presidents of the Allied
Pilots Association, which represents American pilots; the Association of Flight
Attendants, which represents US Airways flight attendants; the Association of
Professional Flight Attendants, which represents American flight attendants;
and the Transport Workers Union, which represents American fleet service
workers, mechanics and others.
The USAPA leadership team didn't vote on whether to sign on
to the ad, but came to an agreement not to sign it. Bob Frear, an A320 captain
elected this month to be chairman of USAPA's Charlotte domicile, said the
union's board and members back the merger, which would help to assure a viable
U.S. airline industry with three global competitors, but aren't supporters of
US Airways management
Frear said US Airways' strong financial performance in recent years has
been built on the backs of pilots and other employees, who "make (CEO Doug
Parker) look like he's doing a better job than he actually is. Unless his
philosophy on corporate culture changes, ultimately the new American airlines
will suffer under his leadership."
If the merger is not approved, USAPA would expect to go back
to the drawing board in contract negotiations with US Airways. If that occurs,
Frear said he "would hope the National Mediation Board would allow talks
to get to the end game as soon as possible, allowing pilots to seek self-help
if a quick resolution isn't possible.
"Let's hope this merger goes through and we don't have
to go there," Frear said.
Source: The
Street
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