Release #01.27
March 27, 2001

COMAIR Pilots’ Leader Responds to Management’s Retaliatory Tactics

WASHINGTON, D.C. ---The Chairman of the Comair pilots’ unit of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) today sharply criticized Comair management’s final collective bargaining position, which was presented to the union on Sunday.

Captain J.C. Lawson, Chairman of the Comair pilots’ Master Executive Council said: "Unfortunately, Comair management in the last hours before the strike deadline put in place a new proposal that is detrimental to resolving this dispute. This last-minute proposal calls into serious question the company’s good faith and desire to reach an agreement that is fair to all parties. Management’s new proposal eliminates all work rules, job security provisions, and numerous other benefits that were in prior agreements and proposes to maintain these drastic changes for seven years."

In the three years of negotiations for a new contract that preceded the current strike, the company had never suggested anything like this. And for good reason, because neither ALPA nor any other pilots’ union could accept such a drastic and extraordinary cutback in working conditions. Plainly, this is a punitive and retaliatory tactic that can only complicate our efforts to end this dispute and get back to work."

Lawson challenged the legality of management’s action, asserting that it overstepped the airline’s right to impose terms for reasons of operational necessity to allow a carrier to operate during a strike. Lawson pointed out that Comair is not currently attempting to operate. Lawson charged that management’s retaliatory tactics constitute a direct attack on ALPA, the Comair pilots and the bargaining process and will operate to the detriment of the flying public.

Formed in 1931, ALPA is the world’s oldest and largest pilots’ union, representing 59,000 airline pilots at 49 carriers in the United States and Canada. Its website is at cf.alpa.org.

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ALPA CONTACT: Capt. Paul Lackie (859) 282-2534