spitfire1500
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US Airways Local Council 41 Put in Trusteeship
Executive Council votes unanimously to remove officers for failing to provide necessary support to ALPA
The president instructed the trustees to fully represent the pilots of Council 41 in all matters pertaining to their membership in ALPA. The US Airways MEC will continue to make all decisions concerning the affairs of the US Airways pilots.
Although no hearing is required at the Executive Council level, the Council offered the three former officers the opportunity, which they declined, to make a presentation, either in person or by telephone. A full hearing before the Executive Board will be held within 30 days to formally consider the charges and allow the three former officers to present their views.
The Executive Council found that the three local council officers demonstrated a pattern of support for a rival union in the upcoming NMB representation election, including distributing anti-ALPA communications through ALPA channels and failing to provide necessary support for ALPA in connection with the NMB representation election.
The president asked the three former officers specifically to confirm that they support ALPA in the representation election, that they oppose USAPA in the representation election, and that they will urge the Local Council 41 members to vote for ALPA. None of them would make such statements.
Why now?
Simply put, the Council 41 officers have consistently failed to confirm their support for ALPA in the upcoming election. When asked by Capt. Prater, the three officers failed to say that they stood behind their union and support a pro-ALPA vote.
Last Friday, Capt. Prater sent the three Local Council 41 officers a “Notice of Charges and of Executive Council Meeting to Consider Charges Pursuant to Article XIX, Section 1.D.” The Notice was the basis for emergency corrective action in the form of a trusteeship as provided in Article XIX, Section 1.D of the ALPA Constitution and By-Laws.
Capt. Prater requested the Local Council 41 officers send written statements to Vice-President Administration Capt. Bill Couette making clear their support for ALPA and opposition to USAPA in the NMB representation election, and their commitment to urge Local Council 41 pilots to vote for ALPA. While they did email a response to Capt. Couette, they failed to make the commitment to state their support for ALPA and against USAPA.
“Many of you have urged me to take this action for many months,” Prater wrote the Executive Board on Friday evening. “I had hoped that these three elected officers would stand up for their union. However, with the NMB representation election for US Airways pilots beginning on March 20, the stakes are too high for US Airways pilots—and the actions of these officers far too hurtful to our union—for me to delay further.”
Executive Council votes unanimously to remove officers for failing to provide necessary support to ALPA
March 3, 2008
The Executive Council voted unanimously today to take “emergency corrective action” by placing Local Council 41 (US Airways, Philadelphia) into emergency trusteeship. The vote terminates the terms of Capt. Eric Rowe, chairman and captain representative; Capt. Dave Ciabattoni, vice chairman and first officer representative; and Capt. Jim Portale, secretary-treasurer. ALPA President Capt. John Prater appointed Capt. Clyde Romero and Capt. Jack Lawrence (both members of Council 41) to serve as trustees of Council 41.The president instructed the trustees to fully represent the pilots of Council 41 in all matters pertaining to their membership in ALPA. The US Airways MEC will continue to make all decisions concerning the affairs of the US Airways pilots.
Although no hearing is required at the Executive Council level, the Council offered the three former officers the opportunity, which they declined, to make a presentation, either in person or by telephone. A full hearing before the Executive Board will be held within 30 days to formally consider the charges and allow the three former officers to present their views.
The Executive Council found that the three local council officers demonstrated a pattern of support for a rival union in the upcoming NMB representation election, including distributing anti-ALPA communications through ALPA channels and failing to provide necessary support for ALPA in connection with the NMB representation election.
The president asked the three former officers specifically to confirm that they support ALPA in the representation election, that they oppose USAPA in the representation election, and that they will urge the Local Council 41 members to vote for ALPA. None of them would make such statements.
Why now?
Simply put, the Council 41 officers have consistently failed to confirm their support for ALPA in the upcoming election. When asked by Capt. Prater, the three officers failed to say that they stood behind their union and support a pro-ALPA vote.
Last Friday, Capt. Prater sent the three Local Council 41 officers a “Notice of Charges and of Executive Council Meeting to Consider Charges Pursuant to Article XIX, Section 1.D.” The Notice was the basis for emergency corrective action in the form of a trusteeship as provided in Article XIX, Section 1.D of the ALPA Constitution and By-Laws.
Capt. Prater requested the Local Council 41 officers send written statements to Vice-President Administration Capt. Bill Couette making clear their support for ALPA and opposition to USAPA in the NMB representation election, and their commitment to urge Local Council 41 pilots to vote for ALPA. While they did email a response to Capt. Couette, they failed to make the commitment to state their support for ALPA and against USAPA.
“Many of you have urged me to take this action for many months,” Prater wrote the Executive Board on Friday evening. “I had hoped that these three elected officers would stand up for their union. However, with the NMB representation election for US Airways pilots beginning on March 20, the stakes are too high for US Airways pilots—and the actions of these officers far too hurtful to our union—for me to delay further.”
