Welcome_Aboard
September 26, 2000, 10:09 PM
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Arial, Verdana ">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Girt-bar Gal:
But the consequences are a $45 mil fine AND a lawsuit filed by the Reno pilots.....<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
There is also the class-action lawsuit by passengers that were affected by the AA pilot sick-out. If the APA loses that case, it will cost them $50 million. Plus, punitive damages could add 10s of millions more $$$ to the $50 million.
I believe that Girt-bar Gal is absolutely correct when she states, ” I see APAs actions as doing flight crews in the US a great disservice.” and ”..…when a union such as APA abuses the hard-won clout we have fought for…..”
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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Arial, Verdana ">quote:<HR>Originally posted by mriya:
.....my shock was more a reaction at the amount of the judgement (which exceeds APA's estimated worth in assets by nearly $7 million dollars). <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Hello mriya,
I am an AA F/A, not a pilot, but I have had the opportunity to read most of the communication that the APA has had with the pilots during and after the sick-out...and information from other sources. (It’s all in who you know. http://www.crewstart.com/ubb/images/icons/smile.gif) Anyway.....
The reason that the judgment was so large is because the APA defied a federal judge’s orders to call off the sick-out and return to work. The evening that the judge gave this order, APA leadership issued a very weak communication to the pilots to return to work. The communication was more along the line of...Well, guys and gals, this judge has ordered us back to work, but, ya know, uh, he only mentioned the APA leadership in this order, and well, ya know, if you’re sick, well, you can’t work sick. Besides, we have to check with our attorneys and see if there are any loopholes. **wink, wink**
In fact, more pilots called in sick the day after the APA kinda/sorta ordered the pilots back to work (again...**wink, wink**). Not only that, but, several APA union officials also called in sick after the judge issued his order. Now, consider that you are a federal judge. You have issued an order. The defendants (figuratively) laugh in your face and (figuratively) say, “NO one is going to tell ME what to do!”. If the APA was that arrogant, and the judge slapped them with a $45 million judgment to...ahem...get their attention, then the APA should realize they have to live with the consequences of their own actions. They shouldn’t stamp their feet and declare, “It’s not fair!!”.
The APA still had legal tactics they could have pursued. The APA leadership chose to have a sick-out instead. Many, many AA pilots disagreed with the sick-out and did not call in sick. Some that initially agreed with the sick-out (before the $45 million judgment) have now turned on the APA leadership like pit bulls. Then, there are the pilots that still defend and justify the sick-out.
I have overheard pilots discussing the sick-out in military terms...war, battles, civilian casualties (passengers), etc.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Arial, Verdana ">quote:<HR>Originally posted by mriya:
I agree with you that these labor disputes can, and do, inconveniece the flying public; but unfortunatley that is the ultimate leverage; that's the trump card.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
In some cases it’s not just a matter of inconveniencing the flying public.
The sick-out also disrupted ‘urgent’ travel...passengers trying to see family/friends that were critically ill, funerals that were missed, organs to be transplanted that perhaps didn’t reach their destination (Organs only have so many hours before they become useless. I wondered about the scheduled recipients of the organs. Did another airline take them in a timely manner? Were the organs perhaps unusable by the time another flight/airline was available?). The list could go on and on. A lot of travel is on a ‘time is of the essence’ basis.
If this had been a planned strike, the flying public would have had at least 30 days (cooling off period) to make other arrangements. But there is no way to protect yourself against an illegal sick-out. Passengers were blind-sided.
As a union member, I want responsible leadership. I want them to make rational decisions that won’t take away our credibility, make us look foolish, and possibly have huge fines levied against us.
Well...I think that’s all I have to say. Did that help?.....Or did it just confuse you? http://www.crewstart.com/ubb/images/icons/smile.gif
[This message has been edited by Welcome Aboard (edited September 26, 2000).]