ATI, CCI Pilots’ Merger in Final Stages

Last week, Arbitrator Richard Bloch issued the integrated seniority list (ISL) award to the Air Transport International and Capital Cargo MECs Merger Committee representatives.

The decision followed the guidelines set forth in ALPA Merger Policy and considered the state of each airline and the status and makeup of the respective pilot workforces, including their career expectations and longevity. The decision included a two-year fence that prohibits pilots from being awarded or displaced to a vacancy on the other carrier’s aircraft. Arbitrator Bloch also maintained the separate list for the professional flight engineers, now arranged by date of hire, as provided for in the joint contract.

“I am pleased with the outcome of the integrated seniority list award as I feel the arbitrator overall made a fair assessment of combining our two groups,” said First Officer Chuck Hill, CCI MEC chairman. “We now need to focus on implementing and enforcing the joint contract.”

“Now that the ISL process is over, we can move forward with a merger that will hopefully bring prosperity to the airline and allow the crewmembers to enjoy its benefits as well as bring back our fellow members who were furloughed,” said Capt. Brendan Twomey, ATI MEC chairman.

The joint collective bargaining agreement, an integral part of finalizing the merger, was ratified by the collective crewmembers in September 2012. The ISL process was already under way at that time through direct negotiations between the MECs’ Merger Committees. When a negotiated agreement could not be reached, the committees utilized their agreed-upon mediation-arbitration process with Arbitrator Bloch. His decision came three months after documentation was first submitted in October 2012.

ATI management will continue working toward the single FAA operating certificate—the final piece in merging Capital Cargo into Air Transport International.