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June 12, 2014

In This Issue:

Breaking News:
     • NAI Is Back to Bullying
     • Taking the Next Steps to Deny NAI (Video)
Features:
     • ALPA Commends House Support for FFDO Program
     • National Committee Chairmen Engage in Strategic Planning
Pilot Group News:
     • XJT, ASA MECs Poised to Resume JCBA Talks
National News:
     • ALPA Trains New Safety, Security Reps
     • Watch Just Culture Symposium Via Live Webcast
ALPA Daily Extra
News on the Net
 

NAI Is Back to Bullying

NAI is at it again, demonstrating one more time that the company’s management is willing to do anything to obtain a foreign air carrier permit that would contravene the US-EU agreement.

If you recall, in late April, Norwegian Air International (NAI) senior management threatened to stall negotiations with Boeing for B-787 orders unless the permit was approved, threatening U.S. manufacturing jobs. It was just a bluff, we called them on it, and the next week, NAI ordered more Boeing airplanes. This week, in a predictable move, the EU threatened legal action should the U.S. Department of Transportation deny NAI’s permit. What’s coming next week? Will the EU threaten the U.S. with economic sanctions?

Read the full story on our blog, Leadership from the Cockpit.

Taking the Next Steps to Deny NAI

On Monday, June 9, in three short minutes from introduction to passage, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed an important amendment intended to ensure that the U.S. Department of Transportation denies NAI. The amendment is straightforward: without naming any specific airline or operation, it merely reinforces existing law, holding DOT accountable for its future actions.

Simply put, if DOT is to approve a foreign air carrier permit application, that application must fall within U.S. law and Article 17 bis of the U.S.–EU Open Skies agreement. Watch this video from ALPA president Capt. Lee Moak.

ALPA Commends House Support for FFDO Program

Earlier this week, ALPA issued a statement expressing support for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations’ markup of the Department of Homeland Security’s Appropriation Bill, which opposes the proposed budget cuts to the Federal Flight Deck Officer Program contained in the administration’s proposed FY 2015 budget.

“The Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO) program is a proven and cost-effective tool to enhance security. ALPA stands with the House Committee on Appropriations in opposing the administration’s budget request to reduce funding for the FFDO program by $4.7 million.”

Read the full statement in ALPA’s press release.

National Committee Chairmen Engage in Strategic Planning

This week, ALPA national committee chairs, along with national officers, the Strategic Planning Committee (SPC), and staff, met at the Association’s offices in Washington, D.C., to review and discuss ALPA’s strategic planning progress to date and make their recommendations for future priorities as they pertain to the work of their committees. In preparation for the Board of Directors (BOD) meeting in October where Board members (i.e., ALPA’s highest governing body—all the local council status reps from all the ALPA-represented pilot groups) will review, evaluate, and update the plan, the SPC has sought input from the Executive Council, Executive Board, and national committee chairmen to ensure it reflects the collective goals of ALPA’s members.

The next step will be for the Executive Council to give further input at their meeting in August. All proposed recommendations for strategic plan priorities will then be presented to the BOD for their consideration as they refine and update the plan for 2014 to address the challenges facing our union in the next two years and beyond.

XJT, ASA MECs Poised to Resume JCBA Talks

Pilot leaders at ASA and ExpressJet gave final guidance to their negotiators this week as the two carriers prepare to resume contract talks for a joint collective bargaining agreement. The XJT MEC, meeting in Houston, and the ASA MEC, meeting in Atlanta, received confidential briefings from their negotiators on ALPA’s proposed contract openers. ALPA, management, and a recently-appointed National Mediation Board mediator will continue talks in Atlanta next week, almost six months after pilots from both carriers rejected an earlier tentative agreement.

ASA and XJT have been operating under their separate legacy contracts since SkyWest, Inc. bought ExpressJet in 2010. Ratifying a joint contract is the first step in the two pilot groups completing the merger process, followed by creating a joint seniority list, and then electing a single MEC for the merged pilot group.

ALPA Trains New Safety, Security Reps

Thirty-one ALPA pilot safety representatives, representing 10 airlines from the United States and Canada, and one helicopter association representative, participated in the ALPA Air Safety Organization’s (ASO) Basic Safety School (BSS), Airport Safety Liaison (ASL), and Security Training Course (STC) programs this week in Herndon, Va.

Read more about safety and security training.

Watch Just Culture Symposium Via Live Webcast

If you are unable to attend ALPA’s “International Progress Toward a Just Culture—Proactive Use of Data” symposium next week, watch it via live webcast at justculturesymposium.alpa.org. Coverage begins Monday, June 16 from the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C., and runs from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET.

This special event will feature leaders from domestic and international stakeholder organizations to explore the value of proactive safety programs in moving toward a just culture for airline operations. Challenges, considerations, and lessons learned will be discussed, along with various applications for the use of safety data.

ALPA Daily Extra

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News on the Net

ALPA represents more than 51,000 pilots at 32 airlines in the United States and Canada.
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