PITTSBURGH--The US Airways unit of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) Master Executive Council, which represents US Airways' 6,100 pilots, recognized major portions of management's new, so-called strategic plan for US Airways as an attempt to undermine the long-term commitments and recent contributions of the US Airways pilots and all US Airways employees.

"Major portions of management's Plan B are unclear and depend on untrustworthy analysis and undoable employee concessions," said Captain Chris Beebe, chairman of the US Airways ALPA Master Executive Council. "Pilots will not support a plan that promotes the decline of US Airways."

Phase one of the plan is unclear because it does not describe exactly how small jets will be used to replace mainline flying.

"If they are planning to replace mainline aircraft with small jets—in addition to replacing mainline flying—then management is on the path to declaring war on the US Airways pilot group," said Captain Beebe.

Phase two of the plan requires ALPA to agree to amend the pilot contract to allow additional small jets (under 50 seats/60,000 lbs.) to be operated at code-sharing affiliate commuter carriers.

"There will be no resolution of small jets being operated under US Airways' code at affiliate carriers until pay and working conditions are established for any small jets that the Company plans to deploy on the mainline," said Captain Beebe. "ALPA will require phase one and phase two to be dependent on each other in order to properly resolve our pilots' job security and contractual needs."

Phase three of management's plan calls for another round of employee concessions, focusing on the bottom tier of the industry and degrading US Airways’ service and operational levels.

"Phase three of management's plan will not succeed," said Captain Beebe. "Comparing us to the likes of Continental and Southwest, in light of recent management positions to the contrary, is a disingenuous and hostile attempt to begin negotiating the pilot contract in the press now, which does not become amendable until 2003.

"We gave this management team concessions in 1998 that made us competitive with other major airlines," said Captain Beebe. "Management squandered our contributions and neglected our airline during their 17-month pursuit of the failed merger agreement with United. The pilots are done backfilling for a management team that is incapable of delivering on their promises to employees."

ALPA represents 66,000 airline pilots at 47 airlines in the U.S. and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at cf.alpa.org.

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