“History has always been made by those who show up. Here we are today.…We showed up.…We are making his- tory,” he said. “We stand here today because our manage- ment has successfully stalled our negotiations for three years. That’s roughly 10 percent of our professional career.” The Pinnacle pilots’ collective bargaining agreement be- came amendable 3 years ago on May 1, and the pilots re- main the only Pinnacle employee group that has not had a raise during the last 4 years. The National Mediation Board appointed a mediator in 2006, but progress at reaching an contract that respects their commitment and dedication agreement has been stymied. to an airline that may not have earned it. Pinnacle Airlines continues to grow and expand, evi- “The price of fuel is the price of fuel,” Prater said. “And denced by the purchase of a new airline (Colgan Air) and the price of pilots is the price of pilots. Labor doesn’t need new regional jets and the signing of a new air services agree- to subsidize this fuel crisis. If Pinnacle has money to grow, ment with Delta Air Lines—all on the profits garnered by the Pinnacle has money to fairly compensate its pilots.” hard work and low wages of the Pinnacle pilots. Pinnacle pilots recognize the competitive nature of the Champion’s MEC chairman, Capt. Matt Marsh, and ALPA’s airline industry, especially during these turbulent financial SPSC chairman, Capt. Mike Donatelli, also addressed the at- tentive crowd. Despite the fact that management sent a maintenance team to prohibit the pilots from standing on, staging on, or staking the rat anchors into the lawn, the pilots managed to pull off a successful event with the help of the Memphis Police Department. Chanting “We can make it happen,” the pilots ended the day believing they had sent a message to Pinnacle management that they can and will make a differ- ence—one way or another. Not Much Time Left For Champion For 13 years, Champion Air conducted flying that had been previously performed by Northwest Airlines, in aircraft that had been flown by Northwest Airlines pilots. That flying in- cluded tour groups, professional sports teams, and U.S. De- partment of Defense charters. On May 31, however, Cham- pion Air ceased operations, and Northwest Airlines once again absorbed that flying. “This is an extremely distressing time for Champion pilots,” says the MEC chairman, Capt. Matt Marsh. “Management announced last fall that our flying would be cut this spring at the end of the National Basketball Association contract and STAFF PHOTO that operations would cease in August. Management has “We can make it happen,” chanted Capt. Prater, center front, now moved up that time line.” and Capt. Scott Erickson, Pinnacle’s MEC chairman, to his right. ALPA conducted several job seminars and funded two job Nearly 150 pilots and others staged a protest in front of fairs during the ensuing months in an effort to secure new Pinnacle’s headquarters in Memphis for management to stop positions for pilots who wanted to leave the beleaguered air- stalling and negotiate a pilot contract now. line. And while many fled, the 82 pilots still flying were fur- loughed May 31. times. However, the pilots are preparing to take whatever Numerous ALPA pilot groups have stepped up to offer steps are necessary to achieve a fair and greatly improved support for Champion pilots. The Delta MEC chairman, Capt. contract. More than 99 percent of Pinnacle pilots who voted Lee Moak, extended an invitation to all Champion flightcrew last year authorized their MEC to call a lawful strike if neces- members to continue to access jumpseats at Delta for a pe- sary and the Strike Preparedness Committee recently riod of 2 weeks after the May 31 shutdown. If Champion pi- opened a strike center in Minneapolis. lots still retained CASS credentials, they would be authorized Capt. Scott Erickson, Pinnacle’s MEC chairman, com- to ride in the cockpit. If not, flow-back privileges to the cabin plained about management’s misinformation campaign would be offered if cabin seats were available. launched to alienate the Pinnacle pilots from the other em- Similarly, the Continental MEC Chairman, Capt. Jay Pierce, ployee groups. He also expressed his thanks to those pilots offered Champion pilots jumpseat access for 30 days after who sacrificed a day off to attend the event. operations ceased. Pierce also asked Continental manage- 12 • Air Line Pilot June/July 2008 ment to provide preferential hiring opportunities to qualified pilots when hiring starts once again. Both pilot groups of- Airline Pilot Hiring April 2007 fered the same privileges to Aloha and ATA pilots. Through March 2008 Through the ASTAR MEC chairman, Capt. Patrick Walsh, 1,400 Champion Air pilots will soon be able to obtain preferential 2007 2008 interviews at ASTAR Air Cargo. 1,200 Champion pilots were also invited to a series of seminars 1,000 across the United States, which provided information and re- sources to the growing ranks of furloughed ALPA pilots from 800 several airlines to prepare these pilots for their next piloting 600 PILOTS job in an increasingly competitive market. “The support we have received from ALPA National and 400 our ALPA brothers and sisters is very heartwarming,” Marsh 200 adds. “Because of Champion pilots’ skills and professional- 0 ism, I’m confident they will be back flying the line soon.” Jan. July Aug. Oct. Nov. Dec. Feb. April May June Sept. March MONTH Aloha Cargo Assets Sold to Source: AIR, Inc. Saltchuk after Bankruptcy Court Airlines reporting to AIR, Inc., hired 3,167 pilots in the first quar- Rejects ALPA Contract ter of 2008—an increase of 424 pilot jobs from this time last year. Furlough numbers continue to drop, from 2,491 pilots in On Monday, May 12, Bankruptcy Court Judge King granted February to 2,144 in March. AIR, Inc., predicts 10,650 new pilot the Chapter 7 Trustee’s motion to reject all of Aloha Airlines’ jobs for 2008! For more information on airline pilot hiring, contact collective bargaining agreements, including the agreement AIR, Inc., at www.jet-jobs.com, or call, Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 with ALPA, and approved the motion to sell the cargo assets p.m. Eastern time, 1-800-JET-JOBS (538-5627). to Saltchuk Resources, Inc. ALPA undertook a major litigation effort to defeat these the two parties appeared to be getting close to an agree- motions, filing extensive written objections with the court, ment on terms and conditions of employment, Saltchuk obtaining extensive written discovery of the Trustee, GMAC, never agreed to hire in seniority order. During the last day be- and Saltchuk, and taking depositions of the Saltchuk presi- fore the hearing, Saltchuk failed to meet for negotiations dent in Seattle, the Chapter 7 Trustee and Al Pattison in Ho- and used delaying tactics in the apparent hope that the nolulu, and a major GMAC executive in New York. In the end, bankruptcy court would do exactly what it did. however, the bankruptcy court rejected almost all of the evi- ALPA will continue to review all alternatives for further le- dence offered by ALPA. gal action, although bankruptcy law generally makes it very The court held, over ALPA’s objections, that in a Chapter 7 difficult to pursue appeals from sales of assets. ALPA will bankruptcy proceeding neither the Trustee nor the bank- also actively consider legislation that would amend the ruptcy court is obligated to consider any labor policy, that it is bankruptcy laws to stop this sort of evasion of the Section sufficient if the Trustee meets a minimal standard of exercis- 1113 process (as minimally helpful as that is) by converting ing business judgment, and that the Trustee met that stan- a case to Chapter 7. dard. The court reached a similar conclusion about the Saltchuk will be hiring 24 pilots to staff the new cargo op- Trustee’s business judgment when it approved the sale of eration, which leaves more than 280 pilots without jobs. the cargo assets to Saltchuk. Before the hearing, ALPA met to negotiate an agreement with Saltchuk representatives that would establish terms House Committee Approves and conditions of employment for pilots and provide for hir- FMLA to Benefit Pilots and ing pilots in seniority order from the Aloha seniority list. While Flight Attendants On May 14, the House Education and Labor Committee passed by a vote of 43-0 the Airline Flight Crew Technical Correction Act, H.R. 2744, to provide Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) benefits to pilots and flight attendants. ALPA has advocated for this change in law so that pilots may EXECUTIVE BOARD take unpaid leave to care for a sick family member or for the birth or adoption of a child, a benefit most other American COVERAGE workers currently have. ALPA expects the full House of Rep- To read more about ALPA’s May 6–7 Executive Board resentatives to consider the bill early this summer. Log on to meeting, see photos and Board presentations, and to Crewroom.alpa.org, scroll down the left menu bar and click watch video footage of the opening session, visit on Legislative and Politics and then Call to Action to urge Crewroom.alpa.org and click on the Events tab. your senator to move companion legislation (S.2059) so that this bill can become law as soon as possible. June/July 2008 Air Line Pilot • 13.