The draft Open Skies protocol initialed by the United States and the European Union this week did not include language sought by the European Union to allow cabotage or foreign control of U.S. airlines, and the agreement underscored the value of high labor standards. While the protocol has not yet been ratified, the agreement reflects important progress in protecting U.S. jobs, but challenges lie ahead for ALPA to defend pilots and other workers’ interests in connection with the U.S.-EU air services agreement.

On March 25, the United States and the European Union initialed a protocol amending the 2007 “first stage” air transport agreement. Once the protocol enters into force, it will complete the obligation contained in the first-stage agreement for the two sides to engage in “second-stage negotiations” that include the discussion of further liberalization of traffic rights, wet lease of European airline aircraft to U.S. airlines on U.S. domestic routes, and additional foreign investment opportunities.

During the negotiations, the European Union sought the right for its airlines to carry U.S. cabotage traffic and conduct domestic wet lease operations on domestic routes, as well as the elimination of restrictions on foreign investment in U.S. airlines. The United States did not agree to any of these requests. The two sides did agree to have the Joint Committee (the body established to monitor developments under the agreement) undertake an annual review of any new developments toward changes in the U.S. ownership and control rules and to create a process of cooperation, “including appropriate recommendations to the parties.” Any actual amendment of the ownership and control rules would be left to Congress.

(For more information, please click here.)

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ALPA pilots rallied on Capitol Hill this week to call on members of the U.S. House of Representatives to support the Aviation Jobs Outsourcing Prevention Act (H.R. 4788), which directs the Department of Transportation to ensure that new revenue-sharing agreements between U.S. and foreign airlines are beneficial to U.S. airline workers as well as to their airlines.

Nearly two dozen ALPA members, including pilots from United Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and FedEx, joined Capt. John Prater, ALPA’s president, to meet with Rep. Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.), who introduced the legislation.

“Congressman Bishop understands our concerns that good jobs are being sent overseas,” said Prater in introducing Rep. Bishop. In his remarks, Rep. Bishop acknowledged the critical support of Rep. Mike Michaud (D-Maine), and Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.) for cosponsoring the bipartisan bill. Rep. Bishop told the pilots gathered that the legislation now has more than 13 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle.

(For more information, please click here.)

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To facilitate the recalls, the Alaska MEC and the company on Tuesday agreed on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that codifies how recalls are to occur, as outlined in the pilots’ contract and the agreements that created the furlough mitigation programs approved last year. The new MOU does not change any of the pilots’ contract language, but rather collects all of the furlough recall provisions into an easy-to-use “checklist” for recalls.

“We are pleased that the recall process has begun,” said Alaska MEC vice chairman F/O Paul Stuart. “At the same time, the Alaska MEC has not forgotten that 94 of our fellow pilots remain involuntarily furloughed. We will continue to work to represent the interests of all of our pilots, including those who are not currently on active status, and look forward to the day when all of our pilots receive recall notices.”

The recalls become effective May 1, one month prior to the opening of a new Alaska Airlines base in Portland.

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“Improving these elements and bringing them to a common standard is a crucial goal that will enhance our long-term career prospects and strengthen the Delta brand,” said DCPA chairman Capt. Dave Nieuwenhuis (ASA). “The alliance provides us with a collaborative environment to cultivate industry best practices at each airline so that we are in a position to share in the success of the Delta brand.”

DCPA currently consists of MECs representing the pilots from four ALPA Delta Connection partners: Atlantic Southeast, Comair, Mesaba, and Pinnacle. Compass representatives also participated, and other ALPA-represented Delta Connection carriers may eventually become participants as well.

(For more information, please click here.)

Pictured left to right: Dave Nieuwenhuis (ASA), Matt Lamparter (Comair), Lee Moak (Delta), Eric Cowan
(Compass), Mark Nagel (Mesaba), Scott Erickcon (Pinnacle).

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ALPA executive administrator Capt. Don Wykoff (DAL) was elected IFALPA deputy president. In this capacity, he will serve as a member of the Federation’s Executive Committee and Executive Board, which are charged with implementing the organization’s safety and industrial policies. Wykoff replaces Capt. Paul Rice (UAL), who also serves as ALPA’s first vice-president. Rice completed his term and opted not to run again.

In other IFALPA officer elections, ALPA Canada Board president Capt. Dan Adamus (ACJ) was reelected executive vice-president of the North America Region (NAM), and Capt. Greg Wolfsheimer (DAL) was reelected the regional vice president–U.S. Central Pacific.

F/O Mark Rogers (UAL), director of ALPA’s Dangerous Goods Program, was elected chairman of the IFALPA Dangerous Goods Committee. Capt. Robert “Rip” Torn (DAL), who chairs ALPA’s Air Traffic Services Group, is the new chairman of the Federation’s Air Traffic Services Committee, and Jazz Air MEC vice chairman Capt. Rod Lypchuk is IFALPA’s new chair of the Administration and Finance Committee.

IFALPA represents more than 100,000 airline pilots at more than 100 member associations, including ALPA, from around the world. The Federation’s mission is to be the global voice for airline pilots.

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“Details of the vote and the corresponding timelines are being circulated to our pilots,” said AirTran MEC Chairman Linden Hillman. “After nearly six years of collective bargaining—at a time when our airline is posting substantial profits—we need to do something to jumpstart these contract talks.”

A strike authorization ballot, if ratified by AirTran pilots, provides the MEC with the discretion to declare a strike, when and if the proper circumstances support such a decision. The Railway Labor Act, the legal framework for the contract talks, outlines a step-by-step process with a series of requirements that must be accomplished before labor or management can conduct self-help.

(For more information, please click here.)

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The DPCF Board, the Delta Master Executive Council, and visiting Delta Connection pilots visited the hospital Wednesday evening, distributing stuffed “pilot” bears to children. The check will be presented to Arnold Palmer at the Bay Hill Invitational Tournament this Saturday.

“In our profession we regularly deal with stress and critical decisions, but I do not have adequate words to describe the stress that childhood illness brings to children and their loved ones,” said Capt. Lee Moak, chairman of the Delta MEC. “I hope that our donation can provide a few moments of joy during the anxious days of a child’s hospital stay. It is truly an honor for the Delta Pilots Charitable Fund, on behalf of the Delta pilots, to make this donation to the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.”

Delta pilots donate $150,000 to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.

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The plenary received updates from the Alternate Methods working group, including discussions about the use of closed-circuit video cameras as a supplement to the secondary barrier system, and also undertook in-depth dialogue regarding the establishment of procedures for handling Sensitive Security Information (SSI). Future participation in SC-221 will require members to complete a nondisclosure agreement due to the sensitive nature of its deliberations.

Additionally, committee co-chairman Capt. Ed Folsom (UAL) reported on the SC-221 December leadership meeting held in Denver, Colo., and introduced propositions resulting from that meeting, which were further discussed and defined by the plenary group.

Future committee work will include continued evaluation of alternative methods to protect the flight deck and other associated human factors issues, such as crewmember reaction times to perceived threats. The next SC-221 plenary is scheduled for mid-June 2010 in Washington, D.C.

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ALPA has drafted technical and operating standards for CrewPASS, which are intended to be presented next week to the TSA for the agency’s approval. Once that document is approved, the consortium airlines will have the documentation they need to begin soliciting requests for CrewPASS implementation bids. Stay tuned for more information.

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The primary reason for the petition is to prevent the spread of transmissible disease among pilots who have to don the masks on a routine basis. Oxygen masks are a potential breeding ground for disease and cannot be adequately cleaned.

The ALPA Aeromedical Committee responded in favor of the petition. Click here to read the Association’s comments.

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Accompanying Prater was staff from ALPA’s Engineering and Air Safety and Government Affairs Departments. Click here to read a letter Prater sent to Price about what the Association is asking for in FFDO funding.

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ALPA also participated in the university’s Council for Aerospace Safety and Security Education (CASE) meeting, which is normally held twice each year. The CASE, comprised of numerous government and industry aviation experts, advises the university on areas of education, legislation, training, research, personnel, facilities, and equipment.

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• Mesa Air Group Pilots Elect New Leadership
• ALPA Applauds TSBC “Watchlist” of Top Aviation Safety Issues
• Pilots to ATI Management: End Negotiating Stall Tactics Now

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ALPA president Capt. Dave Behncke was elected the first president of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) in 1948. ALPA president Capt. Clancy Sayen was IFALPA’s longest-serving president, holding office from 1952 to 1964. Capt. Rob McInnis was the IFALPA president in 1997, when the Canadian Air Line Pilots Association merged with ALPA. Most recently, ALPA first vice-president Capt. Dennis Dolan was elected IFALPA president in 2003, holding office for two two-year terms.

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If you have moved or changed your ISP or e-mail address, please update your ALPA records. If you don’t, you will no longer receive the ALPA FastRead and other e-mail bulletins and notices, and once your postal forwarding order expires, you’ll no longer receive the magazine and other ALPA mail. You can do it yourself by going to https://crewroom.alpa.org and logging in. Go to “My ALPA” on the left side of the page, and from there, you’ll be instructed how to make the necessary changes.

If you don’t have access to https://crewroom.alpa.org, you can e-mail your requests by sending them to membership@alpa.org. Be sure to include your member number or enough other information so that we can identify you in the membership database, and tell us what information needs to be updated.

Please note that it is not sufficient just to notify your LEC or MEC of these changes—you should register them with the ALPA Membership Department in Herndon.

Can’t remember your member number or how to log in? Need information about your ALPA insurance programs? These and other questions about ALPA services can be answered by contacting membership@alpa.org.

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