APA Negotiations

NEGOTIATIONS TIMELINE

July 24, 2009

The APA presented a scheduling proposal that was virtually unchanged from its last position. At the mediator’s request, AA negotiators explained the importance of code shares and commuter feed and the logic behind our most recent Scope proposal. Union negotiators refused to recognize that competitive Scope provisions had any benefits to the airline or pilot jobs and maintained that the increasingly global state of the aviation industry has no bearing on APA’s desire to prohibit all future Scope exceptions.

June 30, 2009

AA presented 17 counterproposals and a Furlough Protection clause to the contract, which APA rejected. The APA presented 15 proposals. Parties signed a Tentative Agreement (TA) on Failure to Qualify and, subject to contract language, reached agreement on Co-Terminal and Satellite Base Flying. Negotiators agreed to meet outside of negotiations to summarize areas of agreement still outstanding on Sections 21, 22 and 23. A verbal TA was reached on Section 22 depending on the outcome of the subcommittee discussions.

May 8, 2009
The company presented the APA with a mini-package of six items as well as proposals on Pre-Arbitration Conference and System Board of Adjustment. AA negotiators also shared a presentation on the importance of commuter feed to the airline’s operations. APA presented a proposal on pilot training and various counterproposals.
April 3, 2009 
AA negotiators gave a brief economic and industry update to the mediator. Union negotiators were invited to attend the briefing but chose not to participate in the 15-minute presentation. The company also shared the full year 2008 losses to the Pilot B Plan retirement fund and tried to generate discussions around Scope by showing the competitive importance of commuter feed.
January 30, 2009
Negotiators agreed in principle to Letter K, Uniforms and to extending another Letter of Agreement on Section 17.O (Qualify in Turn). The Company and APA agreed to create an economic analysis subcommittee to review and discuss information regarding assumptions and pricing models used to analyze proposals. The parties also agreed to reconvene a scheduling subcommittee.
January 13, 2009
Company negotiators met privately with the National Mediation Board.
December 16, 2008
Negotiators met in Washington, D.C. to discuss a variety of issues, though no proposals were exchanged. The APA negotiating committee met privately with the National Mediation Board.
December 5, 2008
Negotiators tentatively agreed to an item on pilot training displacement known as Q&A 53. The Company also proposed two packages of seven items each that would allow negotiators to clear 14 topics off the table and focus on more substantial issues.
December 2, 2008
The Company presented a negotiations update presentation to the National Mediation Board and the APA. The presentation intended to update Senior Mediator Zachary Jones on progress made since mediated discussions began in April, and to remind both committees of the current status of various proposals.
October 23, 2008
The Company presented its revised Scheduling and Reserve proposal covering a number of topics including the establishment of a Preferential Bidding System (PBS).
September 17, 2008
The APA announced to media that it would be filing a Presidential grievance against the Company’s proposed Joint Business Agreement with British Airways and Iberia.
September 2, 2008
The Company presented an overview of its Joint Business Agreement and application for antitrust immunity with British Airways and Iberia.
August 14, 2008
The Company presented a chart demonstrating that AA’s pilot costs would increase by more than 175 percent and be approximately 275 percent higher than the 2007 industry average of $255 were it to accept APA's current proposals.
July 24, 2008
The Company presented its Sick proposal, which offers financial wellness incentives to pilots who have unused annual sick accrual at the end of each year.
July 7, 2008
The Company presented an analysis of APA’s pension proposal as well as its proposal on Distance Learning.
June 13 , 2008
The Company presented proposals on Scope, Benefits and Long Distance Flying.
May 30, 2008
Negotiators tentatively agreed to an item within Section 24 stating that copies of an agreement will be distributed electronically.
May 27, 2008
Company negotiators presented a cost-out of all of the Union’s proposals, which would result in approximately $3 billion in recurring expenses.
May 9, 2008
Company negotiators proposed closing eight sections and two letters of agreement as current book. The Union rejected this proposal.
May 6, 2008
Negotiating parties met jointly with NMB mediator.
May 1, 2008
Pilot contract became amendable.
April 30, 2008
Negotiating committees met without NMB guidance and the APA rejected the Company’s modernization of the Pilot B Plan. The APA also submitted its own A Plan proposal.
April 14, 2008
The NMB assigned Mediator Mike Tosi to oversee negotiations between the Company and the APA.
April 10, 2008
The five weeks of NMB-facilitated discussions came to a close, with the Company resubmitting its proposal to modernize the Pilot B Plan. Parties also agreed upon language to pay protect pilots directly affected by MD80 cancellations in early April. The APA announced it would not continue in facilitated discussions and would resubmit its NMB application for formal Section 5 mediation.
April 4, 2008
A joint subcommittee composed of subject matter experts from both sides was formed to discuss filling of open time and scheduling enhancement issues.
March 28, 2008
A joint subcommittee composed of subject matter experts from both sides was formed to explore sequence and trip building model construction.
March 14, 2008
Negotiating parties tentatively agreed to a proposal on Reinstatement Rights (Section 17).
February 28, 2008
First Facilitation Meeting with NMB Facilitator is held.
February 19, 2008
The APA withdrew its NMB request for formal Section 5 mediation.
February 14, 2008
American and the APA agreed in principle to a negotiations protocol and timeframe, including five weeks of NMB-facilitated meetings outside of Section 5.
February 13, 2008
The APA responded to American's previous requests for a protocol agreement by proposing a negotiating protocol and timeline.
February 12, 2008
The Company presented proposals on Probation, Jumpseats, Uniforms and Moving Expenses.
February 7, 2008
Negotiating parties approved tentative agreements on three contract areas pertaining to Seniority; Certificates and Ratings; and Agency Shop and Dues Checkoff (Sections 13, 16 and 25).
January 31, 2008
The Company presented a proposal for modernizing the Pilot B Plan.
January 30, 2008
The NMB responded to the APA’s request for formal Section 5 mediation, recommending the parties narrow discussion topics before entering mediated negotiations and explore alternative facilitation methods.
January 29, 2008
The Company presented proposals regarding three sections on Seniority; Certificates and Ratings; and Agency Shop and Dues Checkoff (Sections 13, 16 and 25).
January 25, 2008
The Company presented proposals on sections of the contract that deal with Grievance, Arbitration and General Administrative issues (Sections 21-24).
January 14, 2008
The APA filed for formal mediation with the National Mediation Board.
January 10, 2008
The Company proposed a number of enhancements to its original scheduling, sequence protection and reserve proposal.
December 11, 2007
Age-65 legislation is passed.
December 6, 2007
The APA negotiating committee presented the Company with a one- sentence scope proposal.
October – November 2007
The APA resubmitted its Section 6 openers.
October 3, 2007
First meeting following reconstitution of the APA negotiating committee; the APA provided the Company with a letter stating the Union’s original Section 6 openers were going to be replaced.
September 26, 2007
The APA replaced its negotiating committee chairman and a negotiating committee member.
September 25, 2007
The Company provided the APA’s negotiating committee with a multi-faceted proposal relating to scheduling, the reserve system, income protection and other topics.
September 16, 2007
The APA completed its second survey of member priorities for negotiations.
August 7, 2007
The APA suspended bargaining sessions for 60 days due to reconstitution of its negotiating committee and need to conduct a second membership survey.
June 20, 2007
New APA President Lloyd Hill is elected.
May 1, 2007
The APA presented the Company with a Scope proposal.
February – April 2007
Negotiating committees met infrequently during this period as the APA was involved in and focused on the election of its National Officers and pre-election preparation and activities.
December 2006
Negotiating committees reviewed side letters on various topics.
October 3 & 4, 2006
American and APA negotiating committees exchanged proposals on the protocol agreement.
October 2006
The APA notified American that they discontinued use of third-party negotiating facilitators.
September 20, 2006
Formal negotiations began with each side exchanging Section 6 openers.
September 15, 2006*
American and APA negotiating committees met with third-party facilitators to establish a problem-solving approach to negotiations.
August 2006*
At the APA’s request, American agreed to participate in joint negotiating training with third-party facilitators.
July 21, 2006
American notified the APA that it would exercise its option to begin negotiations under the Early Opener provision of Section 6.

 

 

* Date is approximate