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PHL Town Hall on June 7th

Fellow PHL Pilots, We will be hosting a Telephone Town Hall on Wednesday, June 7 at 2000 EDT. We will be available to answer your questions on various issues. All pilots will receive a phone call on their number listed with APA. If you miss the initial call, you can join via the web on the APA PHL Domicile page. You can also dial in to 888-409-5380. We look forward to talking to you Wednesday evening. Paul DiOrio, Chair Kevin Wilkes, Vice Chair PHL-REPS@alliedpilots.org
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Philadelphia

June 3 Update

DCA Pilots, The APA-ALPA Merger Exploratory Committee presented their findings this past Thursday and Friday. There was a significant amount of effort made to bring a comprehensive report to the Board. All 2,441 pages are available  here . We wanted to explain why the motion, which required a 2/3rds vote (14 Members) to approve and continue the process, was voted down on a ten / ten split BOD vote.   We will only be able to speak to what your DCA reps perceptions were, and we can further say that as many are aware, various people can be presented with all kinds of information and come to very different conclusions. While there are pros and cons to pursuing a merger with ALPA, many of which the committee outlined in the various areas examined all of which we carefully considered. We found that there are several overwhelming cons that made a “No” vote, at this time, for further merger exploration, our final decision.   Your Right of Self Determination First and foremost, the autonomy to chart our own path, forge our own direction, and represent our membership on ONLY the issues deemed important to our members and in the manner we determine to be best, is far too valuable to give up .  That autonomy would be lost at ALPA , as the larger and overarching power structure of the ALPA Board of Directors would always retain final say on the actions of the individual airline MECs.  What is best for ALPA, and the 39 other airlines it represents, would likely take precedence over what might be best for an individual airline’s pilots.   We have already experienced situations in which APA and ALPA national have taken conflicting positions on issues relating to our industry and our profession.  While that does not occur frequently, if we are being candid, there  w ould  inevitably be a loss of some level of control and self-determination once you become part of the ALPA structure. Certainly some will belabor this point, but it is a fact that, based on the briefing given and the realities of how ALPA is structured, there is less control of  an individual pilot group’ s own destiny once you join ALPA.   That is one of the reasons APA was founded in the first instance and something that we value too much to agree to give up. Your Benefits  The Merger Exploration C ommittee concluded that our APA Benefits were  far superior to ALPAs .   While many statements were made about what “might happen,” or “could happen,” or “would be expected to happen,” with our benefit plans in a proposed merger, this was another valuable aspect of APA we were not comfortable with putting at risk for any possible negative change at this time.  Your Money Additionally, the C ommittee also informed the Board that , under ALPA’s current dues structure ,  we would each be paying 1.85% dues, compared to the 1% we pay in non-Section 6  times and the 1.5% we pay  during Section 6. In the last 23 years, APA pilots have paid an average of 1.32% dues. Using very rough math, with a constant 1.85% dues rate, in 2023 we would generate over $60.8M in revenue for ALPA, yet an AA MEC would only get back 38.5% of those funds, approximately $21.8M, according to the Committee. While it was reported that some of our APA Staff  might b e paid by ALPA A " style="line-height: 1.5; box-sizing: border-box;">in the event of a merger, that still  would leave a shortfall in funding of over $7M from our current operating budget.  Effectively, the larger airlines in ALPA are subsidizing all of the smaller ones. APA, if it merged with ALPA, would take over as one of the largest subsidizers. Another con is that local domiciles in ALPA are unable to give union time off for domicile volunteers doing important union work. This is a matter of policy, which APA would be subjected to and possibly, unable to change due to ALPA policy, if it were part of ALPA at that time. There are certainly other policies inconsistent with the way we are currently doing business, which goes back to the primary reason why we felt a “no” vote was necessary—preserving APA’s autonomy. Finally, further exploration of a merger would cost north of $200,000. Merger Ahead?   One of the more interesting briefing points we received from the committee, which was recorded in open session, was the following; The Delta MEC and the Endeavor MEC have an Arrangement. It has been Initiated by the DAL MEC and mutually agreed on between the respective MECs. • “WHEREAS the best way to ensure proper staffing for Delta’s regional flying is to bring those aircraft, and pilots, to the mainline” • “WHEREAS the adage “a rising tide lifts all boats” certainly applies in the relationship between our two pilot groups interests, and goals...” • The resolutions authorizing pursuit of the arrangement expressly provide that the working group established by the resolutions “will neither consider nor recommend any action that would result in any Endeavor pilot being placed on the seniority list ahead of Delta pilots ...” So, in the opinion of this writer, it certainly appears that based on the  report given that the Endeavor Pilots have agreed to what some arguably could call a staple.   We should exercise extreme caution in the timing of any efforts to pursue any ALPA or other union merger until we see the results of the Delta/Endeavor MEC negotiations and the final seniority list for them  –  particularly with the possibility that AA could attempt to merge the wholly  owned  with mainline.   In Closing The bottom line is, we found the report useful in many ways, in that it showed us some important steps we might take to improve APA. Some structural, process, and governing document improvements are most definitely in order to improve our efficiency and effectiveness, and the Board has already taken steps to commit to consider those changes in upcoming months. The National Officers and Board together are currently forming a Governance Reform Caucus to address these shortfalls, and we encourage those with great ideas to submit them via Soundoff so we can improve the effectiveness of our organization...so that ultimately we will be able to serve YOU, the membership, in the most optimum, efficient, and effective way. The grass may look greener on the other side, but the truth is that every organization has challenges. APA has its challenges, but ALPA is no different. Those members of the Board of Directors who voted against pursuing a merger  found that the costs of possibly merging with ALPA simply outweigh the benefits in this equation, and we did not believe that becoming part of ALPA  would  be the panacea that some make it out to be.  However, if you want to make a difference, we encourage you to get involved as a volunteer with APA and you can help make our organization a better place. We need your help, and if you feel passionately about the things we can do and change to make our organization better, then we encourage you to step up and volunteer. Thank you for your patience as we continue to wait for the Negotiating Committee’s language and as we continue to work to make this a better place for all pilots. In Unity, Joe and Tim
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Washington DC

APA News Digest: June 2, 2023

APA News Digest June 2, 2023 Editor’s note: Some links in this message will work best if you log in to AlliedPilots.org before clicking them. In This Edition ... Hotel Committee: New Version of Hotel Survey Added to APA Mobile APA Board of Directors Adjourns Special Meeting “Mother Nature Has Not Even Come Up to Bat Yet” Compass Project: Join Us for YOUnion 101 on June 14 Compass Project: Announcing New Family Navigation Leadership Contract Compliance Committee: Can I be Reassigned Above VMAX or IMAX? Aeromedical Committee: Our Recommended Reading List Aeromedical Committee: VA Disability Opportunity for Disclosure Maintenance and Technical Analysis Committee: Pigs of the Week Membership Committee: APA Welcomes New Pilots Membership Committee: APA Welcomes Captains’ Leadership Class Membership Committee: Gone West Domicile Events Week in Review Are You Willing to Serve? Professional Standards FAQ If You’re 50, Join The Grey Eagles Pilot Job Fairs and Future Pilot Seminars New Version of Hotel Survey Added to APA Mobile This is a new message from the APA Hotel Committee. Coinciding with the launch of Web 2.0 , we have worked with APA IT to develop and release a new version of the Hotel Survey within the APA Mobile app. You will find this survey in your mobile inbox after your layover. The previous survey based on green, yellow, and red ratings worked for six years, but we have outgrown the limited amount of data it provided. Restrictions from the previous survey allowed pilots to report only one problem with a hotel. The new survey is robust, with a sliding scale for multiple categories. To keep the new survey simple, we collect feedback without using any drop-down menus nor endless question looping. Everything is at your fingertips to quickly critique your layover. The new survey is a quick five pages. Pages 1 and 2 give a quick overview of your layover with a sliding scale. Slide left if you had issues in a specific category; slide right if your experience was better than average in a category. Page 3 allows you select any issues in categories such as Room Wait, Safety/Security, Housekeeping, Insect, or Fatigue. This page also has a feedback option so you can provide food or activity suggestions for the Hotel Webpages. Pages 4 and 5 ask you to select one answer for your transportation TO the hotel and one answer for your transportation FROM the hotel. If you have any questions or problems with the new Hotel Survey, please email hotel.chair@alliedpilots.org . A sincere “thank you” to all pilots who participate, so we can continue to improve your layovers. APA Board of Directors Adjourns Special Meeting The APA Board of Directors reconvened its meeting at 0900 today and spent the morning in closed session. Before adjourning at 1240, the Board voted to approve the following: A motion to convene a Governance and Reform Caucus at APA headquarters on Aug. 22-24 to create resolutions for consideration during the Board’s regularly scheduled fall meeting. A motion to cancel the June and July special Board meetings. This motion acknowledges that the Board will convene following the Negotiating Committee’s delivery of a proposed Tentative Agreement. (By policy, the Board meets during the second week of each month during Section 6 bargaining.) A motion to waive policy and schedule the August special Board meeting for Aug. 1-3. The Board also applauded Accounting Department staffer Lori Harwell, after APA President CA Ed Sicher announced she had been promoted to the position of Senior Pilot Leave Administrator. Lori Harwell and CA Ed Sicher In accordance with R2016-11, we are providing a synopsis reflecting all main motions and resolutions that the Board addressed today. In accordance with R2017-37 Rev 1, video footage of the open portions of the Board meeting will soon be posted here . “Mother Nature Has Not Even Come Up to Bat Yet” APA Communications Committee Chair CA Dennis Tajer appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box on Tuesday morning to debrief how American and the airline industry fared over the Memorial Day weekend: “We did not see any of these cancellations under clear skies, like we used to, but we can’t get cocky, because we won but one series – using a baseball metaphor – but see, Mother Nature has not even come up to bat yet.” CA Tajer reiterated those sentiments in a subsequent Airline Weekly article about a good week for American and CEO Robert Isom. That article says a new pilot contract, while costly, should benefit the airline. “The contract will allow him to utilize the airplanes he has and the airplanes he wants to get,” CA Tajer said. “The combine for harvesting new revenue in the airline industry is airplanes.” Join Us for YOUnion 101 on June 14 This is a new message from the APA Compass Project. APA Vice President CA Chris Torres and the Compass Project’s Member Engagement Team will host a “YOUnion 101” meeting via Zoom at 1100 Central on Wednesday, June 14. This meeting focuses on all aspects of APA membership. While it is geared toward our newest pilots, all are welcome and encouraged to attend. Click here to register . After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. The APA Compass Project is an industry-leading pilot mentoring and support program. Compass offers one-on-one support from experienced line-pilot sponsors, as well as tutorial videos and an extensive database of stage-based documents covering a number of helpful topics that are beneficial to all pilots. Click here for more information . Announcing New Family Navigation Leadership This is a new message from the APA Compass Project The Compass Project’s Family Navigation Team is excited to welcome new leadership this June. FO Kailey Gonzalez will be taking over the Family Navigation Team Lead position. She is the mom of an almost 2-year-old boy and is married to FO Ryan Currie, a fellow AA pilot. She is passionate about helping our pilot parents succeed in this season of family growth and improving the lives of our pilot families. She recently joined American in May of 2022 and has a great understanding of the needs of our future pilots. FO Gonzalez is joined by our new FMLA Baby Bonding Lead, CA Marc Needham, who is equally passionate about helping our pilot parents and has a special calling for our pilots going through the adoption process. He has twins, a boy and girl, and lives in the New York area. He is well-versed in New York State’s Paid Family Leave policy and is looking forward to supporting our pilot parents and helping them get the most out of their baby bonding leave. We at the Compass Project are looking forward to seeing their fresh ideas unfold that will greatly benefit the next generation of pilots coming through the doors of American Airlines. Can I be Reassigned Above VMAX or IMAX? This is the latest in a series of Q box-sizing: border-box;"> Q: Can I be reassigned above VMAX or IMAX? A: Yes. The contractual language in Section 15.N provides both the ability for the assignment to occur and the subsequent required steps for the exceedance. A reassignment above one of the contractual limitations entitles a pilot to premium for the value of the exceedance and requires a paid, no credit removal from future flying (15.N.4). This removal must be from flying at the beginning or end of a future sequence (15.N.5.b). For current month flying, the removal must be accomplished within 24 hours of the offending sequence’s conclusion (15.N.5.d). If a pilot has no other scheduled flying in the current month, Section 15.N.5.e contains additional provisions. Section 15.N 4. A pilot reassigned above the pilot’s Individual Monthly Maximum (IMAX) or the Company Limit on Voluntary Flying, if applicable, shall be paid at a rate of 1.5 times the pilot’s hourly base pay rate for time above the IMAX, or the Company Limit on Voluntary Flying, if applicable (which shall not be cumulative with the payment in Section 15.N.3). 5. A pilot who was reassigned above his IMAX or the Company Limit on Voluntary Flying, if applicable, will have his credited projection (PROJ) reduced to or below his IMAX or the Company Limit on Voluntary Flying, if applicable, in accordance with the following: a.Remove the pilot with pay, but no credit, from one or more whole sequences. b. Remove the pilot with pay, but no credit, from a portion of a sequence, provided that the removal must be from the beginning or end of the sequence, (i.e., no mid-sequence removals.) c. Following the completion of the reassignment, if the pilot has no other scheduled flying remaining in the current month, reduce the pilot’s PROJ in the following contractual month by following step 5.a. and/or 5.b. above. d. When reducing the pilot’s PROJ in the current month, such reduction shall occur within 24-hours of the conclusion (debrief) of the reassignment sequence. e. When reducing the pilot’s PROJ in the next month, such reduction shall occur within 24-hours of the conclusion (debrief) of the reassignment sequence or the 25th of the current month, whichever is later. Our Recommended Reading List This is a new message from the APA Aeromedical Committee. In an effort to improve our members’ health, we have created a recommended reading list. Each month, we will highlight a book that has helped in the prevention of, treatment of, or recovery from an injury or illness, or has elevated a member’s education. Feel free to send your book recommendations to aeromed-committee@alliedpilots.org . Lifespan: Why We Age – and Why We Don’t Have To It’s a seemingly undeniable truth that aging is inevitable. But what if everything we’ve been taught to believe about aging is wrong? What if we could choose our lifespan? In this book, Dr. David Sinclair, a leading authority on genetics and longevity, reveals a bold new theory for why we age. As he writes: “Aging is a disease, and that disease is treatable.” This eye-opening and provocative work takes us to the frontlines of research that is pushing the boundaries on our perceived scientific limitations, revealing incredible breakthroughs – many from Dr. Sinclair’s own lab at Harvard Medical School – that demonstrate how we can slow down, or even reverse, aging. The key is activating newly discovered vitality genes, the descendants of an ancient genetic survival circuit that is both the cause of aging and the key to reversing it. Recent experiments in genetic reprogramming suggest that we soon may not just be able to feel younger, but actually become younger. Disclaimer: This recommendation is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine or other professional health care services. Always consult with your medical provider when making health care decisions. VA Disability Opportunity for Disclosure This is a repeated message from the APA Aeromedical Committee. VA Disability Ratings have been a recent subject of concern for many pilots. Disability benefits and/or related medical conditions must be disclosed to the FAA. The FAA is seeking to reconcile any inaccuracy or failure to report on past medical applications by providing an opportunity for disclosure. All First-Class Airman Medical Certificate holders with unreported VA benefits must submit a new medical application and schedule an appointment with an AME when their current medical expires, or no later than July 31, 2023, whichever is earlier. Any questions regarding this should be directed to the APA Medical Advisors . Failure to submit an expedited reapplication and reexamination in accordance with the FAA’s timeline or failure to disclose all reasonably known information may result in legal enforcement action. Pigs of the Week APA commends American Airlines’ hardworking aircraft maintenance technicians for their outstanding work. We believe they are the best in the business. When repetitive problems do arise, they’re often due to managerial decisions that fail to properly prioritize tasks and to management’s decision to outsource a significant portion of the airline’s maintenance to offshore, third-party repair stations. In the last three weeks, B737 aircraft 3AE has been written up 10 times and has been out of service seven times for cabin air temperature. It was most recently signed off on June 1 and is restricted to Class 1 and 2 maintenance stations. In the last month, B737 aircraft 3DH ’s antiskid has been written up seven times and has been out of service four times. At the time of this writing, one antiskid system channel remained on MEL. UPDATE: In the last month, A319 aircraft 746 has been written up seven times and been out of service eight times for airframe vibrations. It returned to service on June 2 after operating under a Special Flight Permit for a second time to a maintenance base for repairs. APA Welcomes New Pilots This is a new message from the APA Membership Committee. Click the image for a closer look. The APA Membership Committee welcomed the following pilots during a casual dinner on May 30: Scott Ashby, Servet Atbas, Zachary Babar, Daniel Barker, Daniel Baron, Bradley Brigance, Daniel Brum, Constantin Cacoulidis, Adam Calka, Joseph Clark, Joseph D’Alessandro, Daniel Doerr, Gregory Duckworth, Ras Duhaney, Nathan Early, Anton Eloff, Mikhail Ferguson, Juan Fernandez Estrada, Luan Figueiras, Julio Cezar Filho Soares Bacelar, Samuel Finan, Jose Miguel Gayon-Gonzalez, Adam Gill, Lance Gower, Jordan Greene, Ashley Hall, Stephen Hames, Timothy Herman, James Hogge, Michael Hollenbush, Jesse Hooks, Oliver Jean, Stephen Joerger, Randolph Kinsey, Jordan Larkins, Jason Loewen, Joseph Maish, Kevin Martin, Cody Martz, Andrew Miilu, Joseph Morales, Schuyler Morales, Carlos Neira, Ignacio Perez Losada, Rube Quinones, Sean Reeves, Joseph Rivera, Ryan Blake Scheffer, Kenneth Steinhart, Steven Swan, Brandon Tesulov, Jason Thompson, Spencer Turek, Adam Turner, Jeffrey VanGuilder, Tom Vykulil, Matthew Wiggins, Timothy Williams, and John Wooten. APA Welcomes Captains’ Leadership Class This is a new message from the APA Membership Committee. Click the image for a closer look. On May 31, the APA Membership Committee hosted a casual dinner for the following pilots who were in Fort Worth for American Airlines’ Professionalism, Leadership, and Mentoring class: Joel Aupperlee, David Barbee, Jayson Cannon, Brandon Cowley, Art Cross, Mark Easton, John Eveges III, Shawn Gray, Kevin Honey, Matthew Lewis, Michael Lovell, Matthew MacCarthy, David McCarthy, David Olson, Albert Policano, Mathieu Richon, James Ward, Aaron Webb, Kenneth Wells, and Todd Wilson. Gone West This is a new message from the APA Membership Committee. We extend our deepest sympathies to the loved ones of these pilots, whose deaths we learned of last month: Jeff Flack, 76, on March 23; Jim Gildea, 80, on March 28; Bryce Herndon, 87, on April 7; Harry Horan, 88, on April 9; Gary Croffut, 72, on April 16; Bill Shirley, 91, on April 18; John Prator, 72, on April 25; Ernie Johnson, 89, on April 26; James Latta, 73, on April 26; Michael Hoff, 62, on April 29; Duane Warning, 79, on May 1; Bill Dodd, 86, on May 3; Bob Hurley, 87, on May 7; Donald “Fro” Froehlicher, 90, on May 9; Ron Wortham, 91, on May 14; Bob Gill, 95, on May 15; and James Hayes, 87, on May 16. Domicile Events Get more details about these upcoming events at AlliedPilots.org/Calendar : BOS: Boston Red Sox game on June 28 DCA: Concourse Conversations on June 15; Baltimore Orioles game on July 17 DFW: Texas Rangers game on June 7 LAX: Retirement Dinner on June 3; Domicile Meeting on June 21 PHL: Philadelphia Phillies game on June 20; Domicile Meeting on June 23; Retirement Dinner on June 23 PHX: Concourse Conversations on July 20 Week in Review The following messages were sent since last week’s News Digest was published. Information Technology Steering Committee: Welcome to Web 2.0 Communications Committee: “Positive Rate” Episode 12: Agreement in Principle and the Path Ahead Communications Committee: We Remember American Airlines Flight 1420 Information Hotline: APA Board Votes Against Proceeding with APA-ALPA Merger Negotiations  Scheduling and Contract Compliance Committees: Attention: Reserves Transitioning to Lineholder Military Affairs Committee: Notice of Military Duty  President: Memorial Day 2023 Are You Willing to Serve? Each of these national committees or subcommittees has the indicated number of vacancies: Aeromedical Committee (0) Critical Incident Response Program (1) Disabled Pilot Awareness Subcommittee (3) Human Intervention Motivation Study Subcommittee (3) Pilot Occupational Health Subcommittee (2) Project Wingman Subcommittee (4) Captain’s Authority Committee (4) Communications Committee (0) National Communications Network (6) Compass Project (6) Grey Eagles Liaison Committee (1) Hotel Committee (2) Jumpseat/Non-Rev Committee (1) Professional Standards Committee (1) Retirement ">Safety Committee (0) Air Traffic and Procedures Subcommittee (3) Environmental Sustainability in Aviation Subcommittee (2) Scheduling Committee (8) Training Committee (4) Checkmate (2 on 777 and 1 on 320) Uniform (1 female) If you would like to serve on one or more of these committees, visit the National Committee Volunteer Portal . Professional Standards FAQs What time frame can be expected when Professional Standards is working an issue? Professional Standards issues will normally be resolved within a few days. Due to scheduling complexities, some cases may take longer. The expectation is that committee volunteers will be as timely as possible and not delay the processing of any issue submitted to the PS committee. Most cases are resolved within two days. To read all of the FAQs, click here . Professional Standards’ 24/7 hotline: 817-402-2181 If You’re 50, Join The Grey Eagles Are you a pilot for American Airlines, at least age 50, active or retired? Please join The Grey Eagles for food, fun, and fellowship. We offer cruises, conventions, monthly luncheons, retirement dinners, professional mentoring, and assistance to surviving spouses – all for a one-time lifetime fee. Pilot Job Fairs and Future Pilot Seminars Future text-decoration: underline; background-color: transparent; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s; cursor: pointer; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank"> Click here for more information . Industry News For more about what’s happening in the industry, be sure to visit the Industry News page on AlliedPilots.org . Connect with Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | YouTube Contact Us: Phone - 817.302.2272 | Website - AlliedPilots.org
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News Digest

MOVING FORWARD

We spent the last two days at APA Headquarters for the ALPA Exploratory Committee presentation. Your domicile representatives ultimately decided to vote against the motion to continue to “phase two” and create the ALPA Merger Negotiation Committee. The resolution creating the ALPA Exploratory Committee established thresholds to allow your Board of Directors to determine if subsequent actions and expenses are justified. We did not find that ALPA could provide added benefits that justified the increased dues structure with the reduction in autonomy and direct funding.  DFW Representatives summarized the situation well: “Today the Board of Directors concluded a special two-day meeting dedicated solely to receiving  the report  and presentation of APA-ALPA Merger Exploratory Committee, as established by Resolution 2022-25 rev 2.  The Committee briefed the Board, and the Board engaged to fully understand the report.  At the end of the meeting, the Board voted against forming a Merger Negotiation Committee.   Pursuant to APA Policy Manual 4.17.F, the committee was sunsetted at the end of their presentation to the Board on Thursday.  We encourage all pilots to read the committee report and watch  the videos of open session  to observe the presentation and Board debate.   We are grateful for the thorough work the committee has accomplished – the report was well-thought out, comprehensive, and reflected the professionalism and dedication of the team.  The Committee report and presentation identified areas where both APA provides a superior benefit to our members, and those where ALPA is the clear standard-bearer.     As your domicile representatives, we want to explain why we voted against the motion to continue to “phase two” and stand up an AA-ALPA Merger Negotiation Committee.  This decision was not a reflection of the Committee nor its work.   After reviewing the 2400-page report and receiving the presentation, we feel that with a representational merger – regardless of the terms negotiated – the benefits simply do not outweigh the costs.   As the fiduciary of the Association, the Board is obligated to consider all the financial implications of a potential merger.   A merger would necessitate the voluntary transfer of all membership assets to ALPA.  More than $68M of unrestricted liquidity would be handed over, with a net return to our newly formed MEC of an estimated $16M.   The Committee expects a merger would result in initial membership dues rising by 85%, while only 36% of our pilots’ dues would be allocated back to a new MEC from ALPA National.     While we believe ALPA is certainly strong in certain areas including strategic planning, communication and research, the Committee’s report showed APA to be superior in critical areas that help our pilots daily: Benefits, Aeromedical, Government Affairs, Compass Project, and others.   In addition, APA would be voluntarily ceding our autonomy on major policy matters and diluting our independent voice in government affairs.   Lastly, a merger would likely subject our pilots to increased seniority-list integration risk in the event of an industry merger.   Many of you have reached out via email, text, or Sound Off.  The input that we have received from our pilots has been mixed.  However, the narrative that two-thirds of the pilot group want to merge with ALPA is simply not accurate.  Only 53% of the overall pilot group chose to participate in the survey that was conducted last Fall.  Of the 7,722 survey respondents, 5,123 (67%) favored the APA Board exploring a possible merger , while 926 (12%) expressly wanted a merger.  It strains credibility to suggest that any pilot who strongly favored shifting representation to ALPA opted not to participate in that survey.   These numbers are far short of a majority of the pilot group.   Self-governance, in all forms, is a challenging undertaking.   Whether it is a homeowners’ association, a school board, a legislature, or a labor union representing a craft and class of professional pilots, self-governance is not easy.  In the end, the body politic is responsible to do the hard, often messy work – work that many just simply do not want to do.  In the end, shifting representation to ALPA does not shift that responsibility to someone else.   We are committed to improving how we do business.   We support the Board’s decision today to engage in a Governance and Reform Caucus this August to closely examine the way forward to improve how we represent our pilots.  This week’s AA-ALPA Merger Exploratory Committee report, along with the 2018 Comparative Airline Benchmark Ad Hoc Committee report, and the work of the 2014 Governance project, provide a roadmap to conduct meaningful, necessary reforms.  We are confident that our membership has the skills, talents, and collective resolve to improve our Association.”    It is the commitment of the Board to improve our governance and accountability and will engage in a Governance and Reform Caucus in early August prior to the Fall Board Meeting. The areas where APA falls behind ALPA must be improved while the areas APA leads must be protected.   In Unity, Paul and Gemma
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Boston

ALPA Merger Exploratory Committee Brief

Fellow LAX Pilots, Today the Board of Directors concluded a special two-day meeting dedicated solely to receiving the report and presentation of APA-ALPA Merger Exploratory Committee, as established by Resolution 2022-25 rev 2.  The Committee briefed the Board, and the Board engaged to fully understand the report.  At the end of the meeting, the Board voted against forming a Merger Negotiation Committee.  Pursuant to APA Policy Manual 4.17.F, the committee was sunsetted at the end of their presentation to the Board on Thursday.  We encourage all pilots to read the committee report and watch the videos of open session to observe the presentation and Board debate. We are grateful for the thorough work the committee has accomplished – the report was well-thought out, comprehensive, and reflected the professionalism and dedication of the team.  The Committee report and presentation identified areas where both APA provides a superior benefit to our members, and those where ALPA is the clear standard-bearer.   As your domicile representatives, we want to explain why we voted against the motion to continue to “phase two” and stand up an AA-ALPA Merger Negotiation Committee.  This decision was not a reflection of the Committee nor its work.  After reviewing the 2400-page report and receiving the presentation, we feel that with a representational merger – regardless of the terms negotiated – the benefits simply do not outweigh the costs. As the fiduciary of the Association, the Board is obligated to consider all the financial implications of a potential merger.  A merger would necessitate the voluntary transfer of all membership assets to ALPA.  More than $68M of unrestricted liquidity would be handed over, with a net return to our newly formed MEC of an estimated $16M.  The Committee expects a merger would result in initial membership dues rising by 85%, while only 36% of our pilots’ dues would be allocated back to a new MEC from ALPA National.   While we believe ALPA is certainly strong in certain areas including strategic planning, communication and research, the Committee’s report showed APA to be superior in critical areas that help our pilots daily: Benefits, Aeromedical, Government Affairs, Compass Project, and others.  In addition, APA would be voluntarily ceding our autonomy on major policy matters and diluting our independent voice in government affairs.  Lastly, a merger would likely subject our pilots to increased seniority-list integration risk in the event of an industry merger. Many of you have reached out via email, text, or Sound Off.  The input that we have received from our pilots has been mixed.  However, the narrative that two-thirds of the pilot group want to merge with ALPA is simply not accurate. Only 53% of the overall pilot group chose to participate in the survey that was conducted last Fall.  Of the 7,722 survey respondents, 5,123 (67%) favored the APA Board exploring a possible merger, while 926 (12%) expressly wanted a merger. It strains credibility to suggest that any pilot who strongly favored shifting representation to ALPA opted not to participate in that survey.  These numbers are far short of a majority of the pilot group. Self-governance, in all forms, is a challenging undertaking.  Whether it is a homeowners’ association, a school board, a legislature, or a labor union representing a craft and class of professional pilots, self-governance is not easy.  In the end, the body politic is responsible to do the hard, often messy work – work that many just simply do not want to do.  In the end, shifting representation to ALPA does not shift that responsibility to someone else. To that end, we are committed to improving how we do business.  We support the Board’s decision today to engage in a Governance and Reform Caucus this August to closely examine the way forward to improve how we represent our pilots.  This week’s AA-ALPA Merger Exploratory Committee report, along with the 2018 Comparative Airline Benchmark Ad Hoc Committee report, and the work of the 2014 Governance project, provide a roadmap to conduct meaningful, necessary reforms.  We are confident that our membership has the skills, talents, and collective resolve to improve our Association. CA Bill Evans LAX Domicile Chair LAX-Chair@alliedpilots.org 479-530-4569 CA Tim Dick LAX Domicile Vice Chair LAX-Vice@alliedpilots.org 775-690-7094
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Los Angeles

LGA Update 02JUN

LGA Pilots, Today the Board of Directors concluded a special two-day meeting dedicated solely to receiving the report and presentation of APA-ALPA Merger Exploratory Committee, as established by Resolution 2022-25 rev 2. The Committee briefed the Board, and the Board engaged to fully understand the report. At the end of the meeting, the Board voted against forming a Merger Negotiation Committee. Pursuant to APA Policy Manual 4.17.F, the committee was sunsetted at the end of their presentation to the Board on Thursday. We encourage all pilots to read the committee report and watch the videos of open session to observe the presentation and Board debate. We are grateful for the thorough work the committee has accomplished – the report was well-thought out, comprehensive, and reflected the professionalism and dedication of the team. The Committee report and presentation identified areas where both APA provides a superior benefit to our members, and those where ALPA is the clear standard-bearer.   As your domicile representatives, we want to explain why we split our votes on the motion to continue to “phase two” and stand up an AA-ALPA Merger Negotiation Committee. This decision was not a reflection of the Committee nor its work. After reviewing the 2400-page report and receiving the presentation, we feel that with a representational merger – regardless of the terms negotiated – the benefits simply do not outweigh the costs. As the fiduciary of the Association, the Board is obligated to consider all the financial implications of a potential merger. A merger would necessitate the voluntary transfer of all membership assets to ALPA. More than $68M of unrestricted liquidity would be handed over, with a net return to our newly formed MEC of an estimated $16M. The Committee expects a merger would result in initial membership dues rising by 85%, while only 36% of our pilots’ dues would be allocated back to a new MEC from ALPA National.   While we believe ALPA is certainly strong in certain areas including strategic planning, communication and research, the Committee’s report showed APA to be superior in critical areas that help our pilots daily: Benefits, Aeromedical, Government Affairs, Compass Project, and others. In addition, APA would be voluntarily ceding our autonomy on major policy matters and diluting our independent voice in government affairs. Lastly, a merger would likely subject our pilots to increased seniority-list integration risk in the event of an industry merger. Many of you have reached out via email, text, or Sound Off. The input that we have received from our pilots has been mixed.  However, the narrative that two-thirds of the pilot group want to merge with ALPA is simply not accurate. Only 53% of the overall pilot group chose to participate in the survey that was conducted last Fall. Of the 7,722 survey respondents, 5,123 (67%) favored the APA Board exploring a possible merger , while 926 (12%) expressly wanted a merger. It strains credibility to suggest that any pilot who strongly favored shifting representation to ALPA opted not to participate in that survey. These numbers are far short of a majority of the pilot group. Self-governance, in all forms, is a challenging undertaking. Whether it is a homeowners’ association, a school board, a legislature, or a labor union representing a craft and class of professional pilots, self-governance is not easy. In the end, the body politic is responsible to do the hard, often messy work – work that many just simply do not want to do. In the end, shifting representation to ALPA does not shift that responsibility to someone else. We are committed to improving how we do business. We support the Board’s decision today to engage in a Governance and Reform Caucus this August to closely examine the way forward to improve how we represent our pilots. This week’s AA-ALPA Merger Exploratory Committee report, along with the 2018 Comparative Airline Benchmark Ad Hoc Committee report, and the work of the 2014 Governance project, provide a roadmap to conduct meaningful, necessary reforms. We are confident that our membership has the skills, talents, and collective resolve to improve our Association.    In Unity, Larry & Jim
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New York

ALPA Merger Exploratory Committee

Fellow DFW Pilots,   Today the Board of Directors concluded a special two-day meeting dedicated solely to receiving the report and presentation of APA-ALPA Merger Exploratory Committee, as established by Resolution 2022-25 rev 2.   The Committee briefed the Board, and the Board engaged to fully understand the report.  At the end of the meeting, the Board voted against forming a Merger Negotiation Committee.  Pursuant to APA Policy Manual 4.17.F, the committee was sunsetted at the end of their presentation to the Board on Thursday.  We encourage all pilots to read the committee report and watch the videos of open session to observe the presentation and Board debate.   We are grateful for the thorough work the committee has accomplished – the report was well-thought out, comprehensive, and reflected the professionalism and dedication of the team.   The Committee report and presentation identified areas where both APA provides a superior benefit to our members, and those where ALPA is the clear standard-bearer.     As your domicile representatives, we want to explain why we voted against the motion to continue to “phase two” and stand up an AA-ALPA Merger Negotiation Committee.  This decision was not a reflection of the Committee nor its work.   After reviewing the 2400-page report and receiving the presentation, we feel that with a representational merger – regardless of the terms negotiated – the benefits simply do not outweigh the costs.   As the fiduciary of the Association, the Board is obligated to consider all the financial implications of a potential merger.  A merger would necessitate the voluntary transfer of all membership assets to ALPA.  More than $68M of unrestricted liquidity would be handed over, with a net return to our newly formed MEC of an estimated $16M.  The Committee expects a merger would result in initial membership dues rising by 85%, while only 36% of our pilots’ dues would be allocated back to a new MEC from ALPA National.     While we believe ALPA is certainly strong in certain areas including strategic planning, communication and research, the Committee’s report showed APA to be superior in critical areas that help our pilots daily: Benefits, Aeromedical, Government Affairs, Compass Project, and others.   In addition, APA would be voluntarily ceding our autonomy on major policy matters and diluting our independent voice in government affairs.  Lastly, a merger would likely subject our pilots to increased seniority-list integration risk in the event of an industry merger.   Many of you have reached out via email, text, or Sound Off.  The input that we have received from our pilots has been mixed.  However, the narrative that two-thirds of the pilot group want to merge with ALPA is simply not accurate.  Only 53% of the overall pilot group chose to participate in the survey that was conducted last Fall.  Of the 7,722 survey respondents, 5,123 (67%) favored the APA Board exploring a possible merger , while 926 (12%) expressly wanted a merger.  It strains credibility to suggest that any pilot who strongly favored shifting representation to ALPA opted not to participate in that survey.  These numbers are far short of a majority of the pilot group.   Self-governance, in all forms, is a challenging undertaking.  Whether it is a homeowners’ association, a school board, a legislature, or a labor union representing a craft and class of professional pilots, self-governance is not easy.  In the end, the body politic is responsible to do the hard, often messy work – work that many just simply do not want to do.  In the end, shifting representation to ALPA does not shift that responsibility to someone else.   We are committed to improving how we do business.  We support the Board’s decision today to engage in a Governance and Reform Caucus this August to closely examine the way forward to improve how we represent our pilots.   This week’s AA-ALPA Merger Exploratory Committee report, along with the 2018 Comparative Airline Benchmark Ad Hoc Committee report, and the work of the 2014 Governance project, provide a roadmap to conduct meaningful, necessary reforms.  We are confident that our membership has the skills, talents, and collective resolve to improve our Association.               In Unity, Jon and Jason   CA Jon Sherrell DFW Domicile Chair DFW-Chair@alliedpilots.org 903-372-1516 FO Jason Gustin DFW Domicile Vice Chair DFW-Vice@alliedpilots.org 559-309-8302
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Dallas/Fort Worth

Save These Dates: July 17 and Sept. 28

Save These Dates: July 17 and Sept. 28 DCA Pilots, We’d love to see you and your families at Camden Yards in Baltimore on July 17 for the Orioles’ game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. We’ll provide more details and an RSVP link soon. Looking further out on the horizon, the 26th annual DCA Memorial Golf Tournament has been scheduled for Sept. 28 at Penderbrook Golf Club in Fairfax, Va. Please put both dates on your calendars. In Unity, Joe and Tim
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Washington DC

APA Board Votes Against Proceeding with APA-ALPA Merger Negotiations

APA Information Hotline This is APA Communications Director Gregg Overman with the APA Information Hotline for Thursday, June 1. APA BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONVENES SPECIAL MEETING:  The APA Board of Directors convened a special meeting at 0900 Central today at APA headquarters in Fort Worth to receive the final report of the APA-ALPA Merger Exploratory Committee. In his opening remarks, APA President CA Ed Sicher emphasized that since APA’s inception in 1963, the one constant has been “the opportunity to represent the finest commercial pilots in the world. APA has always prioritized safety and respect and representing its members. Through mergers and bankruptcies, economic downturns and a pandemic, APA has adapted to meet the needs of its pilots.” He also noted that “we have learned that we are best served when we are open to self-evaluation and candid consideration of how the Association may best serve the interests of its members.” CA Sicher closed his remarks by emphasizing that “whatever the outcome on this issue, please continue to fly safe and look out for each other. Always remember that the strength of any union is in the unity of its membership and a willingness to look out for each other.” The Board approved a motion to waive policy and permit the committee’s presentation to proceed, as the stipulated deadline for uploading it for Board-only review had not been met. In its report, the committee provided comparisons of APA and ALPA in several broad areas such as structure and governance, supplemental benefits plans offered by the two unions, airline merger and seniority integration issues, staff-related considerations, government affairs, and financial considerations. Following the conclusion of the committee’s report and a lengthy question-and-answer session, the Board voted against proceeding with merger negotiations between APA and ALPA. The Board recessed its meeting at 1740 and will reconvene at 0900 tomorrow. In accordance with R2016-11, we are providing a a synopsis reflecting all main motions and resolutions that the Board addressed today. In accordance with R2017-37 Rev 1, video footage of the open portions of the Board meeting will soon be posted to AlliedPilots.org/BODMeetingRecordings .
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Information Hotline

Silver Stripes Golf Tournament on June 26

Silver Stripes Golf Tournament on June 26 ORD pilots, The attached PDF contains everything you need to know about the Price-Vogler-Silver Stripes Golf Tournament, which is scheduled for June 26 in Bloomingdale. In Unity, Wes and Paul
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Chicago

We Remember American Airlines Flight 1420

We Remember American Airlines Flight 1420 On this day in 1999, American Airlines Flight 1420 overran the runway at Little Rock National Airport upon landing during a severe thunderstorm shortly before midnight. Capt. Rick Buschmann lost his life, as did 10 passengers. The five other crew members and remaining passengers survived, but more than 100 of them were injured. One of our union’s foremost objectives, as enshrined in the APA Constitution and Bylaws, is “To safeguard with ceaseless vigilance, the safety of scheduled air transportation in recognition of the high degree of public trust, confidence and responsibility placed on the members.” We must always remain vigilant and continue learning all we can from tragedies like Flight 1420 to help prevent any recurrence.
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Communications

APA-ALPA Committee Report & Agenda

Fellow PHL Pilots, We have received your feedback regarding this week's Special Board of Directors Meeting on June 1-2 and we look forward to the briefing from the APA-ALPA Merger Exploratory Committee. Below are the links for this week's Meeting Agenda and the APA-ALPA Merger Exploratory Committee's Report. Please take the time to read and digest the report so you remain informed.  June 1-2 Meeting Agenda APA-ALPA Merger Exploratory Committee Report Paul DiOrio, Chair Kevin Wilkes, Vice Chair PHL-REPS@alliedpilots.org
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Philadelphia

National Town Hall Meeting on June 1

National Town Hall Meeting: Your Dues Money at Work for You APA President CA Ed Sicher will host a national town hall meeting on Thursday, June 1, beginning at 1700 Central. The town hall will detail recent successes by a cross-section of APA committees, including Aeromedical, Benefits, Communications, Government Affairs, International Alliance, Investor Relations, and Strategic Planning. The meeting agenda will likely include additional committees depending upon their availability, and there will also be a question-and-answer session. If your schedule permits, we strongly encourage your participation in this national town hall to help ensure you are properly informed about APA’s efforts on your behalf. A few minutes before the town hall begins, all members in good standing will receive a phone call from Telephone Town Hall Meeting, the vendor that hosts many of APA’s town hall meetings. The number that will appear in your caller ID is 817-302-2171. We recommend adding this number to your contacts if you have not already done so. If you miss the outbound call, you may also connect by clicking on the web link that will be posted to the AlliedPilots.org member home page, or by calling 855-269-4484. We look forward to speaking with you on Thursday evening.  
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Communications

Attention: Reserves Transitioning to Lineholder

Attention: Reserves Transitioning to Lineholder This is a joint message from the APA Scheduling Committee and the APA Contract Compliance Committee. Beginning with the June 2023 contractual month, Transitional Reserve pilots will be processed with their awarded Reserve status: Long Call or Short Call. These changes require an awareness of the associated implications and pilot responsibilities. Knowledge of the new requirements of Transitional Reserve is important to all pilots , so this message is being sent to all pilots . The process of sending targeted, monthly messages to Transitional Reserve pilots will continue. Transitional Reserve pilots should pay particular attention to the following items: Place a DFP (24) following the last Transitional Reserve (TR) Day. The DFP should be placed after the last TR day, or on the first day off in the Lineholder month for pilots without TR days. Per the EOM Procedure, if you do not wish to lose a day off or be searched for a fly-through sequence from your Reserve month into your days off in the Lineholder month, and per STEP 3 of the Settlement, Scheduling and Contract Compliance STRONGLY recommend that pilots move a DFP (24) to the first day off in the new bid month. This includes a DO after a Transitional Reserve (TR) day. If you do not replace the DO with a DFP (24) and you are assigned – through Step 3 of the EOM procedure – a sequence that flies into that DO, it will not be replaced. Reserve notification and availability. Instead of only being available for assignment during DOTC the day prior to a TR day, Transitional Reserves will be contactable as a Reserve pilot throughout their Reserve duty. This means Long Call pilots will be available during their Long Call duty and Short Call pilots will be available during their RAP. Transitional Reserve pay and credit matches against the value of the block. Each Transitional Reserve day pays and credits the Daily Average Credit Value (DACV). The total value of the Transitional Reserve block is compared to actual flying flown over the period to determine pay and credit. OG/PR Requirement to cover a DFP (24). Transitional Reserves can be awarded OG/PR that flies out of the pilot’s Transitional Reserve days, provided Crew Scheduling options Reserves flying from days on to days off and the award covers a DFP (24). Awards from Transitional Reserve into Lineholder DO days do not qualify for OG/PR. Cannot conflict with TR days. A pilot will not be permitted to pick-up a sequence that conflicts with TR days via TTS. Additionally, a pilot will be restricted from placing a DFP (24) over Transitional Reserve days. RO and Hybrid pilots will still be processed before all Reserve pilots, including Transitional Reserves. Currently, there is little transparency in displaying pilots who have RO or a Hybrid obligation. Therefore, a pilot should query the scheduler if all RO and Hybrid pilots have been contractually assigned prior to a reserve assignment. Please refer to the PBS LOA for more information on Transitional Reserve Days. Instructions for moving DFP (24)s are included below. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Scheduling and Contract Compliance Committees at our respective email addresses: CMTE-Scheduling@alliedpilots.org Contract-Compliance@alliedpilots.org Instructions to Move Lineholder DFPs To drop a DFP on 27NOV: HIDFP*/NOV [enter] NHR/24/27NOV [enter] HZ [enter] To move a DFP from 27NOV to 25NOV: HIDFP*/NOV [enter] NHR/24/27NOV [enter] NHA/24/25NOV [enter] HZ [enter] Entering the HZ command will execute the transaction. It will ensure you have the same number of or fewer DFPs than when you entered DFP update mode (HIDFP*/mmm). Remember, once you drop a DFP and execute with HZ, you cannot add that DFP back.
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Scheduling

Welcome to Web 2.0

Welcome to Web 2.0 APA members, The APA Information Technology (IT) Department and the Information Technology Steering Committee (ITSC) would like to thank each of you – nearly 3,000 members – who have already taken time out of your busy schedules to explore the new and improved version of AlliedPilots.org over the past few months. The modernization of the APA website, commonly referred to as Web 2.0, is a ground-up overhaul of AlliedPilots.org, focusing on a search-centric, modern, feature-rich platform that APA will actively curate and refine to optimize search returns. The site will also allow members to customize their favorites, providing one-touch access to important features and tools. Industry-standard items such as global light and dark mode support, consistent menus, and a mobile responsive platform will provide a solid technical platform for the future. Maintenance window : To support the launch of the new website, there will be a maintenance window from 0600 to 1200 Central on May 31. Expect intermittent website outages as the team launches Web 2.0. To reach the new website after 1200 Central on May 31, please use this link and your current login credentials. Tips : If you encounter any issues logging in after the maintenance window, please log out and back in. If that doesn’t correct the issue, please clear your browser cache and try again. These steps should correct most issues encountered. If you are still having issues, please contact the APA Help Desk, who will be standing by to assist: Email: helpdesk@alliedpilots.org Phone: 817-302-2361 After you sign in and look around, you can provide technical feedback by clicking this red icon that should appear on all pages: Please advise if you have any questions. We hope you enjoy the new site and features. FO Philip Johnson APA Information Technology Steering Committee Chair pjohnson@alliedpilots.org
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Communications

“Positive Rate” Episode 12: Agreement in Principle and the Path Ahead

Positive Rate Episode 12: Agreement in Principle and the Path Ahead In the latest episode of our Positive Rate podcast, APA President CA Ed Sicher and Vice President CA Chris Torres discuss next steps following the announcement of an agreement in principle (AIP) between APA and American Airlines management on a new collective bargaining agreement. Among the topics covered: the difference between an AIP and a tentative agreement, whether APA should consider enlisting the assistance of the National Mediation Board, and the process for ensuring the membership is able to make an informed decision once they have the opportunity to cast a vote on a new agreement. Each episode of Positive Rate features various APA leaders and the subject-matter experts working on the membership s behalf. The podcast is available through popular streaming services, including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify you can search for Positive Rate or Allied Pilots Association on your platform of choice to subscribe and download. Your first opportunity to listen will be via AlliedPilots.org/Podcasts . We welcome your feedback on this format. If you have a question or a comment, please send it to Communications Director Gregg Overman via goverman@alliedpilots.org .
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Communications

Memorial Day

Memorial Day Fellow Miami APA Pilots, Memorial Day is a day on which those who died in active military service are remembered.  As we wind down this holiday weekend, it is important to reflect and give thanks to the fallen soldiers that made the ultimate sacrifice.  Please take a moment from this day of freedom to reflect on the fallen heroes of a great nation. The world is a safer and better place because of them. Salute, Thomas Copeland, MIA CH  Anne Witcher, MIA VC 
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Miami

Memorial Day

MEMORIAL DAY                                                 We hope this email finds you well. Memorial Day, the last Monday of May, is a time of remembrance and unity, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the significance of this day and its relevance to our current situation. It has been an eventful May, starting with the All-Base picket on 1 May, with historic numbers for APA and now with an AIP after over 3 years of negotiations.  We understand there are disagreements regarding the AIP and the quality-of-life improvements and the industry matching vs leading pay. It is natural for differing opinions to arise during the negotiation process, as each of us has our own unique perspectives and interests. However, it is crucial for us to remember what truly matters. What Memorial Day is celebrating. Memorial Day honors America’s military men and women who lost their lives in service to their country. There are others that will lose their lives from the past trauma of their service. Memorial Day serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by countless individuals who fought for the very rights and privileges we enjoy today. This is a day to honor and acknowledge those who gave everything and those who continue to give for us to enjoy the privilege of freedom. We hope you enjoy this day with your friends and family.  We both are humbled to do this work for our brothers and sisters in Boston.   Regards, Paul and Gemma    
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Boston

Memorial Day

Remembering Those Who Gave All Whether you are gathering with family and friends, or flying this Memorial Day weekend, please take a moment to remember the over 1,200,000 men and women who have given their lives in service to this great nation, including those who succumbed to the invisible wounds of war. Each and every one of these sons and daughters answered our nation's call and subsequently made the ultimate sacrifice. Please take some time this weekend to reflect on the true meaning of Memorial Day – a day to honor and acknowledge the men and women who gave their last full measure to preserve the freedoms we hold so dear. June 21 LAX Base Meeting Don’t forget our base meeting June 21 at the LAX ARFF facility. Negotiating Committee Chair CA John Owens will join us at this meeting, along with volunteers from the Scheduling Committee, Project Wingman, and Disabled Pilots Awareness Sub-committee “DPASC”. Click here to RSVP . June 3 LAX Retirement Dinner This next Saturday the Grey Eagles and LAX APA are hosting our first retirement dinner of the year at The Proud Bird off the approach end of 25L. We were at capacity in the room we reserved so we booked a bigger room. If you’d like to attend RSVP here . Contract 2023 Web Page Your Negotiating Committee continues to provide new information and updates on the proposed agreement to the Contract 2023 web page. Again, we do not have complete contractual language. Both management and your negotiating committee and department are working daily on the language. Please be patient as they work through this important process. There’s a lot happening right now with plenty of opinions. Please stay vigilant in the cockpit, leave the distractions aft of the door, and take care of each other. CA Bill Evans LAX Domicile Chair LAX-Chair@alliedpilots.org 479-530-4569 CA Tim Dick LAX Domicile Vice Chair LAX-Vice@alliedpilots.org 775-690-7094
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Los Angeles

Memorial Day

Memorial Day   Memorial Day is a time to take stock of the present, reflect on the past, and renew our commitment to the future of America. Today, as in the past, there are problems that must be solved and challenges that must be met. We can tackle them with our full strength and creativity only because we are free to work them out in our own way. We owe this freedom of choice and action to those men and women in uniform who have served this nation and its interests in time of need. In particular, we are forever indebted to those who have given their lives that we might be free. I don't have to tell you how fragile this precious gift of freedom is. Every time we hear, watch, or read the news, we are reminded that liberty is a rare commodity in this world. Ronald Reagan   Moving forward to an Agreement in Principle Thank you all for your sound offs, emails, calls and texts regarding the proposed agreement and feedback on the information being disseminated by our Negotiating Committee. We have yet to see the completed language in this proposal. Until its completion, there is nothing for the APA Board of Directors to consider and certainly nothing to release to the Pilot group for a vote. It’s imperative we take our time and get the language right before consideration. The consequences of rushing to an agreement are serious because of the length it takes to reach our next agreement. The pilots have proclaimed often and loudly the importance of our quality of life. This has been adequately relayed to AA management. Whether they have listened and taken us seriously will be determined within this agreement and settling is not an option. If we remove the emotion and banter from those who are asking for an immediate vote, you will see patience and careful consideration are our only option.  Our Negotiating Chairman and Committee have said often during this section 6 that the most important part of this contract will be the language. We ask that you join us and give them the latitude to complete their work and consider the final product as a whole. Only upon completion can we decide whether this agreement meets the needs of the pilots and the direction of the APA Board of Directors.  In Unity, David and Brian CA David Duncan PHX Domicile Chairman PHX-Chair@alliedpilots.org 602-617-7446 FO Brian Ellis PHX Domicile Vice Chairman PHX-Vice@alliedpilots.org 602-418-9685
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Phoenix

Memorial Day 2023

Memorial Day 2023 APA Pilots, Tomorrow, we observe Memorial Day in honor of the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our nation in uniform. We must never forget that while all gave some, some gave all. The ongoing war in Ukraine and other global tensions serve as blunt reminders that we must likewise never permit ourselves to become complacent. The security of our hard-won freedoms is wholly dependent upon our willingness to risk all in their defense. Please join me in saluting those who have served in our nation’s armed forces and those serving now, including fellow American Airlines pilots on active duty in harm’s way. We will always be in their debt, and we will always be grateful. For those of you who are scheduled to work tomorrow, I hope you will derive a measure of satisfaction in knowing that it is your skill and dedication that propel American Airlines forward. And for those of you with the day off, enjoy yourself — you have certainly earned it. Stay safe out there. In Unity, CA Ed Sicher APA President
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President

Happy Memorial Day

Fellow Chicago Pilots,   As we get ready for the unofficial start of the summer season and Memorial Day weekend, we know many of you are working this weekend to bring friends, family and loved ones together. We know many are away from their families of their own this weekend and we want to take a moment to thank you as you step away from your families to bring others together.   We also want to take a moment and show our appreciate and respect for all those men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice while serving this great nation in the US Military. We know as you come together with family and friends, or if you are working and interacting with our fellow pilots, various questions are getting brought up about. While the NC continues to update the contract 2023 website, they are busy drafting full contract language and we as a BOD are awaiting a proposed Tentative Agreement to review and consider.  Once we have an opportunity to do that, we will be better able to answer specific questions and give further updates.   As we have said, when the time comes for our pilots to know more, we will be very candid about what is or is not in the proposed TA. Until then let us remind you the upcoming week the BOD will meet at APA HQ for the ALPA Exploratory committee presentation on June 1 and June 2. All members in good standing are welcome to attend however you must RSVP in order to attend.    As always, continue to reach out and we will do our best to respond to you. We have been reading Sound Offs and do our best to get back to as many as we possibly can. Ultimately, we understand our job is to represent each of you and we value those interactions as a way to get instant feedback from our pilots.    Once again thank you to all those working this Memorial Day weekend.  Fly safe and remember to take care of your crews and passengers.  For those who are able to enjoy some time away from work, we both want to wish you all a very relaxing and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend.   Sincerely, Wes & Paul
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Chicago

APA News Digest: May 26, 2023

In This Edition ... APA President Provides Perspective on Near Misses Contract 2023: Quick Reference Guide and Back Pay Calculator RSVP for June Special Board Meeting Meet Your APA Strike and Tactical Operations Planning Committee Contract Compliance Committee: Replacement Flying That Causes an Illegality Compass Project: Navigating Compass Documents Maintenance and Technical Analysis Committee: Pigs of the Week Agency Fee Policy for Fiscal Year 2024 Membership Committee: APA Welcomes New Pilots Membership Committee: APA Welcomes Captains Leadership Class APA Holiday Schedule Domicile Events Week in Review Are You Willing to Serve? Professional Standards FAQ If You re 50, Join The Grey Eagles Pilot Job Fairs and Future Pilot Seminars APA President Provides Perspective on Near Misses APA President CA Ed Sicher with National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy APA President CA Ed Sicher was among the safety experts who participated in a roundtable discussion that the National Transportation Safety Board hosted this week regarding near misses at airports. In his remarks, CA Sicher cited the need to invest in simple, easy to obtain improvements we can achieve today, such as increasing the visibility of taxiway markings, which are often hard to see in rainy and low light conditions; installing more runway status lights; and reconfiguring taxiways by adding end-around taxiways to eliminate the possibility of an incursion. On the funding front, he cited the need for proper controller manning with well-trained controllers and manageable workloads, relating his experience of encountering a controller in MIA who was simultaneously overseeing clearance, ground, and tower operations. He likewise emphasized the importance of having two well-rested, well-trained, alert pilots in the cockpit who can trap each other s errors. Another priority item that CA Sicher identified is the implementation of Safety Management Systems (SMS) that are prospective, not retrospective, so the industry can collect the data required to predict where the next errors will occur. On the data collection front, he emphasized that the collection of valid data requires trust between pilots and the reporting system. There are no silver bullets, he said. The system is under stress, which is why there s a search for solutions. What we need to do now, with experience levels low and the churn rate in the industry at a high level, is to concentrate on minimizing changes. We need a back-to-basics approach. The importance of a back-to-basics approach was echoed by ALPA President CA Jason Ambrosi and SWAPA President CA Casey Murray, who were also on hand for the roundtable discussion. The Washington Post reported that CA Sicher said addressing immediate safety concerns via long-term investments was comparable to a coach looking ahead to a promising recruit in the next season while in the middle of losing a game. What can we do now? he said. There s no silver bullet for this. The Wall Street Journal also quoted CA Sicher in an article on the topic: Every piece of the system is under stress. CA Sicher and CA Murray also participated in an investor conference this week with Wolfe Research airline analyst Scott Group on the state of the industry and the potential for operational problems during the peak summer travel season. American Airlines Chief Financial Officer Devon May was among the other attendees at the Wolfe Research conference. Contract 2023: Quick Reference Guide and Back Pay Calculator On Tuesday, the Negotiating Committee published a new quick reference guide highlighting the major agreed-to items between APA and American Airlines management. The committee will continue updating this quick reference guide with additional details and clarifications as appropriate. The Contract 2023 website will reflect when the most recent updates to the quick reference guide were made. Also, the Back Pay Calculator tool is now available on the Contract 2023 site and enables APA pilots to estimate individualized back pay for 2020-22, as well as back pay and 401(k) non-elective contributions for the three months immediately preceding ratification (May-July 2023). We encourage you to visit the Contract 2023 site for the latest information. RSVP for June Special Board Meeting A special Board of Directors meeting will be held at APA headquarters on June 1 and 2 so the APA-ALPA Merger Exploratory Committee can deliver its final report, as required by Resolution 2022-25. Due to limited seating, RSVPs will be required. Please click here if you wish to attend. (A recording of the meeting will be available to all members ASAP.) Meet Your APA Strike and Tactical Operations Planning Committee STOP Committee Chair CA Steve Pacheco and Deputy Chair CA Andrea Hoover participated in Concourse Conversations at LGA with Domicile Chair CA Lawrence Cutler (left) and APA Vice President CA Chris Torres (right). On May 1, APA staged one of the largest pickets in airline history. More than 3,000 pilots showed up across 10 domiciles to support our drive for a new contract. While this show of unity required every single person who took the time to be there, there was also a major driving force behind the pilots: the APA Strike and Tactical Operations Planning Committee, also known as STOP. As part of our series spotlighting national committees, Communications Committee member FO Shalyn Marchetti wrote profiles of STOP Chair CA Steve Pacheo and STOP Deputy Chair CA Andrea Hoover. Click here to learn more about them . Replacement Flying That Causes an Illegality This is the latest in a series of Q As from the APA Contract Compliance Committee. Q: I was scheduled to fly a two-day sequence with a follow-on, two-day sequence (four days of flying). The last flight of my first sequence cancelled. I was brought back to domicile on the first available flight the next day (Section 4.C.2.c.(2)), but the Replacement Flying and extension of the first sequence overlapped my follow-on sequence. Why was my next sequence not removed OP? Why am I now responsible for Recovery Obligation for the second sequence? A: When a sequence is delayed, a reassignment is executed, or Replacement Flying is assigned that causes an illegality with your next sequence, a Replacement Flying Window (RFW) is created to protect the value of the conflict sequence. Section 4.C.3.a.(3) allows for a Replacement Flying assignment that causes an illegality with the pilot s next sequence(s) and resultant Recovery Obligation for the removed sequence. Section 4.C.3.a.(4) allows the RFW to be extended when the first available flight back to domicile is outside the RFW. If this assignment creates an illegality, the pilot is responsible for Recovery Obligation for the removed sequence. If the Company does not utilize the first available flight(s) back to domicile, the flying or deadheading is a reassignment. In accordance with Section 4.C.7.c, a follow-on illegality created from this type of assignment should be removed with OP. This removal is a paid, no credit, no RO code and, at pilot option, would allow you to double-dip and pick up additional flying. Section 4.C.3.a.(3): The Company may assign Replacement Flying that causes an illegality with the pilot s next sequence(s). Section 4.C.3.a.(4): The Company may assign Replacement Flying that is scheduled to terminate beyond the Replacement Flying Window in accordance with C.2.c.(2). Section 4.C.2.c.: Replacement Flying Flying that is assigned / awarded by the Company to a pilot whose sequence, or portion thereof, has cancelled. (1) Replacement Flying Window (i) The Sequence Footprint plus four (4) hours, or the end of the calendar day, whichever is later, or (ii) the Sequence Footprint, plus thirty (30) hours for Trans Oceanic sequences, including to/from Hawaii, U.S. to South of the Equator. (2) The Replacement Flying Window may be extended beyond C.2.c.(1) above if the pilot flies or is deadheaded on the first available flight(s) to base. The first available flight(s) to base is the flight(s) that arrives at the base the earliest. The flight(s) may be direct or indirect. Section 4.C.7.c.: Reassigned during replacement flying if reassigned during replacement flying, and the reassignment causes an unresolved illegality with the pilot s next sequence(s) at the time of assignment, the pilot shall be removed paid and uncredited from the illegal sequence(s) with no replacement flying obligation for the removed sequence(s). Navigating Compass Documents This is a new message from the APA Compass Project. So, what s covered in Compass documents? Some guides are THE source guide, like the Reserve User Guide, for example. This is a 73-page document, but pilots don t need to read it all at once. This guide contains information on how to bid reserve in PBS, RAP secondary bidding, fatigue/sick as a reserve pilot, transitional reserve, plus the everyday contractual provisions that apply to reserve pilots. Other documents point to where the source document can be found. The Low Time Restrictions Guide is a great example, as it mostly points to the FOM reference for each restriction. But most of the guides provide a high-level summary that points you to the source document. (The Trip Trading Guide is a good example.) If there is confusion on all the ballots and bidding tools available, the Tools Ballots Guide is a summary of each tool with a link to the tool/ballot itself and to its user guide. The Compass webpage is organized by main topics (Aeromedical, Bidding, Compensation, FAR 117, etc.) then guides, flow charts, and committees webpages listed underneath. Let s say you re looking for information on how to list for your deadhead to training. If you don t like moving your eyes around the webpage, then try the green NAVIGATION box, which contains all the main topics. Training and Travel will most likely be a match for this search. A quick glance at the guides under Training would eliminate this option, then as you move to the Travel section, you ll find the Deadheading guide. Each guide has a Table of Contents (TOC) containing Fast Reference Links. Also, the upper-right corner of each page has a link to return to the Table of Contents to facilitate navigation within the guide. Looking at the TOC, you ll find the Book your Deadhead link, which shows the most practical way to list for your deadhead. There is a wealth of information available to you from the Compass homepage. Our documents team works expeditiously to update all user guides. We aim for an excellent product and always appreciate feedback! The APA Compass Project is an industry-leading pilot mentoring and support program. Compass offers one-on-one support from experienced line-pilot sponsors, as well as tutorial videos and an extensive database of stage-based documents covering a number of helpful topics that are beneficial to all pilots. Click here for more information . Pigs of the Week APA commends American Airlines hardworking aircraft maintenance technicians for their outstanding work. We believe they are the best in the business. When repetitive problems do arise, they re often due to managerial decisions that fail to properly prioritize tasks and to management s decision to outsource a significant portion of the airline s maintenance to offshore, third-party repair stations. In the last three weeks, A319 aircraft 746 has been written up and been out of service five times for airframe vibrations. It was recently operated under a Special Flight Permit to a maintenance base for repairs and repeated on its first revenue flight, and was last returned to service on May 26. In the last two weeks on B737 aircraft 3AK , the Captain s stick shaker/stall warning has been written up five times and has been out of service four times. It it was last returned to service on May 25. Agency Fee Policy for Fiscal Year 2024 APA recently published its agency fee policy for fiscal year 2024. Agency fee payers are non-member pilots who are required by Section 25 of the collective bargaining agreement to pay a monthly service charge to APA for the administration of the agreement and representation of the pilot. Fiscal year 2024 runs from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. APA encourages all non-members to join (or re-join) APA. This continues to be a demanding time with American Airlines, and we must all stand together, strong and united, in our efforts to improve the airline s operation. APA Welcomes New Pilots This is a new message from the APA Membership Committee. Click the image for a closer look. The APA Membership Committee welcomed the following pilots during a casual dinner on May 23: Allan Alfaro, Jarrod Ambrose, Jon Appelt, Joseph Armstrong, Christopher Barragy, Jairo Barrios, Paul Bishop, James Blackham, Joshua Chockley, Leonardo Constant Oliveira, David Coppock, Seth Cox, Bryan Crask, Craig Davidson, Jeffrey Davis, Erich Domitrovits, Fernanda Dos Santos Sousa, Matthew Dudlik, John Echols, Karl Engelskirger, Jessica Farmer, Patrick Foster, Jeffrey Frakes, Kelly Getsinger, Manuel Giraldo Boix, Kerry Hanger, Slayton Harden, Joshua Harrington, Edward Hastings III, Kenneth Hedges, William Huszagh, Brandon Jimenez, Alan Khan, Tor Killi, Hyungkun Kim, Anthony Klein, Daniel Lessin, Farley Mahabir, Jose Martinez, Mitchell Mills, Gordon Morrow, Wesley Ochsenreiter, David Reinbolt, Karen Rodriguez, Tanner Ruschman, Nathaniel Schirle, Joel Schneider, Dallas Shoeneman, Travis Simpson, Aaron Steele, David Stratton, Samuel Van Buskirk, Andrew Vasquez, Charles Vazquez, Reid Watkins, Ibrahim Wehbe, and Joshua White. APA Welcomes Captains Leadership Class This is a new message from the APA Membership Committee. Click the image for a closer look. On May 24, the APA Membership Committee hosted a casual dinner for the following pilots who were in Fort Worth for American Airlines Professionalism, Leadership, and Mentoring class: Dennis Alberts, Gregory Carroll, Jearohan Cordice, Francisco Cubides, Jonah Endsley, Max Forschler, Anthony Glazek, Matthew Grantham, Hal Grothjan, Erin Jackson, Tyler Keltner, Neil Kliebert, Sean Leffner, Joseph Malinchak, Brus Messinger, Enrico Onnis, Albert Policano, Ryan Purdy, Esteban Ramirez, Matthew Schroer, Daniel St. Clair, Frederick Strathearn, Bryan Swenson, John Therwhanger, and William Wilson. APA Holiday Schedule APA headquarters, including Contract Administration, will be closed on Monday in observance of Memorial Day. Contract Administration will be open from 0700 to 1900 Central on Saturday and Sunday. As always, your APA support team remains available 24/7. When Contract Administration is closed, calls will be forwarded to a phone service operated by Contract Compliance Committee and Flight Time/Duty Time Committee volunteers. Please note that call-back times may be longer than normal due to limited staffing. If your call is not urgent, we encourage you to wait until normal business hours resume. You may also want to consult the pilot volunteers on your domicile s Contract Compliance Committee. Almost every domicile has one, and some of them have larger rosters than the national committee. Contact your local committee by visiting your domicile s page on AlliedPilots.org and clicking the Domicile Committee List link. To reach a contract administrator, call APA HQ at 1-800-323-1470 and press Option 3. If you prefer to e-mail your question to the contract administrators, click here . For specific FAR 117/fatigue issues requiring immediate attention, you can also call the Emergency Help Line at 682-738-6670 manned 24/7 by Flight Time/Duty Time Committee volunteers. Domicile Events Get more details about these upcoming events at AlliedPilots.org/Calendar : BOS: Boston Red Sox game on June 28 DCA: Concourse Conversations on June 15 DFW: Texas Rangers game on June 7 LAX: Retirement Dinner on June 3; Domicile Meeting on June 21 ORD: Galt Airport Pancake Breakfast on May 27 PHL: Town Hall Meeting on June 7 PHL: Philadelphia Phillies game on June 20; Domicile Meeting on June 23; Retirement Dinner on June 23 PHX: Concourse Conversations on July 20 Week in Review The following messages were sent since last week s News Digest was published. Negotiating Committee: Agreement in Principle: Summarized Highlights Negotiating Committee: New Quick Reference Guide Information Technology Steering Committee: Take Our New Website for a Test Drive Maintenance and Technical Analysis Committee: Overflight Permission for International Maintenance Ferry Flights Are You Willing to Serve? Each of these national committees or subcommittees has the indicated number of vacancies: Aeromedical Committee (0) Critical Incident Response Program (1) Disabled Pilot Awareness Subcommittee (3) Human Intervention Motivation Study Subcommittee (3) Pilot Occupational Health Subcommittee (2) Project Wingman Subcommittee (4) Captain s Authority Committee (4) Communications Committee (0) National Communications Network (6) Compass Project (6) Grey Eagles Liaison Committee (1) Hotel Committee (2) Jumpseat/Non-Rev Committee (1) Professional Standards Committee (1) Retirement Benefits Committee (2) Safety Committee (0) Air Traffic and Procedures Subcommittee (3) Environmental Sustainability in Aviation Subcommittee (2) Scheduling Committee (8) Training Committee (4) Checkmate (2 on 777 and 1 on 320) Uniform (1 female) If you would like to serve on one or more of these committees, visit the National Committee Volunteer Portal . Professional Standards FAQs What happens with a management referral? When a committee volunteer and management member are both working the same issue, it is the responsibility of the Professional Standards volunteer to determine if management intends to stay involved or is willing to hand the case over. The Professional Standards volunteer and management will work together to determine if the issue could be completed through the Professional Standards process. If an agreeable resolution is not made, the parties are encouraged to elevate the issue to the National Committee for resolution or guidance. In all cases, Professional Standards will not accept an issue if management remains involved. To read all of the FAQs, click here . Professional Standards 24/7 hotline: 817-402-2181 If You re 50, Join The Grey Eagles Are you a pilot for American Airlines, at least age 50, active or retired? Please join The Grey Eagles for food, fun, and fellowship. We offer cruises, conventions, monthly luncheons, retirement dinners, professional mentoring, and assistance to surviving spouses all for a one-time lifetime fee. Pilot Job Fairs and Future Pilot Seminars Future Active Pilot Advisors next Pilot Job Fairs and Future Pilot Seminars are scheduled for May 27 at HNL followed by June 17 at DEN. Click here for more information .
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News Digest

Memorial Day 2023

LGA Pilots, Whether you are gathering with family and friends, or away from your family flying this Memorial Day weekend, please take a moment to remember the over 1.2 million men and women who have given their lives in service to this great Nation, including those who succumbed to the invisible wounds of war. Each and every one of these sons and daughters answered our Nation's call and subsequently made the ultimate sacrifice. We ask that you take some time this weekend to reflect on the true meaning of Memorial Day – a day to honor and acknowledge the men and women who gave their last full measure to preserve the freedoms we hold so dear.  We ask that you especially remember fellow American Airlines pilots Lieutenant Colonel Dillon "McFly" McFarland, USAF, Commander Mike "Stormin" Norman, USN and Lieutenant Colonel Matt "Cravin" Kincade, USAF. All lost their lives in the service of our country. These courageous individuals are owed a debt of gratitude we can never repay.  Please keep all of our Nation's fallen and their families in your thoughts and prayers this weekend. With great respect, Larry font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; vertical-align: baseline;' style='margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box;'>  
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New York

APA Board of Directors Convenes

APA Information Hotline This is APA Communications Director Gregg Overman with the APA Information Hotline for Thursday, May 25. APA BOARD CONVENES SPECIAL MEETING: The APA Board of Directors convened a special meeting via Zoom at 1000 Central, spending the entire meeting in closed session with the Negotiating Committee and other subject-matter experts before adjourning at 1500. The Board did not consider any main motions or resolutions today, so there is no synopsis as stipulated by R2016-11. In addition, there will be no video footage, as the Board did not spend any portion of the meeting in open session.
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Information Hotline

Take Our New Website for a Test Drive

Take Our New Website for a Test Drive APA members,  The APA Information Technology (IT) Department and the Information Technology Steering Committee (ITSC) would like to thank each of you who have already taken time out of your busy schedules to explore the new and improved version of AlliedPilots.org, aka Web 2.0. Your positive and constructive feedback is crucial to the success of this product, and we hope this amazing response continues!  For those who are just being notified and joining this effort – welcome! We are interested in any feedback you can provide. To reach the beta version of our new website, please use this link . After you sign in and look around, you can provide feedback by clicking this red icon that should appear on all pages: Please remember that this is a late-state beta site. Changes made to the legacy site usually don’t appear on the beta site until the next day, and vice versa. Our Web 2.0 Development Team is diligently working on correcting a small number of known issues, along with page optimization and performance tuning. Please advise if you have any questions. Thanks so much for your participation! FO Philip Johnson APA Information Technology Steering Committee Chair pjohnson@alliedpilots.org 314-853-1188 CA Carrie N. Smith APA Information Technology Steering Committee member cnsmith@alliedpilots.org 612-251-6944 Scott P. Kansas APA Director of Information Technology skansas@alliedpilots.org 817-919-7012
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Communications

Clarification on L Type Override

Clarification on L Type Override Fellow Check Airmen, Many of you are asking good questions regarding negotiations and Section 12. The information put out by the Negotiating Committee is an overview. Where it’s possible, we would like to help clarify things that can be clarified. The topic for this email is L type override. Do L types (pure Ls and Xs on Flight Standards) get the 20% override? The answer is yes. In Unity, Your Check Airman Committee
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Check Airmen

New Quick Reference Guide

New Quick Reference Guide Fellow Pilots, Last week, we announced that APA and American Airlines successfully negotiated agreements on several remaining economic items, including pay rates. Those items complemented previously agreed-to quality-of-life items. Attached is a new quick reference guide with a high-level summary and the additional detail we promised in last week s announcement. The improvements summarized in the quick reference guide are valued at more than $8.0B through the next four years. The quick reference guide highlights the major agreed-to items. It is not meant to be an all-inclusive list. Moving forward, your Negotiating Committee will finalize contract language for the agreements in principle so that a proposed Tentative Agreement can be delivered to the APA Board of Directors. Your Negotiating Committee
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Negotiations

LGA Update 23MAY

LGA Pilots, Negotiations Update On 18MAY, the APA Negotiating Committee (NC) and their American Airlines (AA) management counterparts reached an agreement in principle (AIP) on a new collective bargaining agreement. As required by the APA Policy Manual Section 9.06, they have now begun drafting full contractual language for all sections, related letters and the implementation schedule. The Board Of Directors (BOD) will convene a Special Board Of Directors Meeting (SBOD) via Zoom on THU 25MAY to receive a comprehensive update from the NC on each section agreed to at the negotiating table. These sections combined form the global AIP. It is critical that your elected Representatives ensure the details of each section are accurate and in-line with the framework tasking and intent. We will also receive an update from the Negotiating Department on the contractual language completed to date. It will take several weeks for the NC and their AA management counterparts to complete drafting the full contractual language. Once the contractual language is complete, the full document will constitute a proposed Tentative Agreement (TA) and will be submitted to the BOD for its review and consideration in accordance with the Constitution font-size: medium;font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" style="margin: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); box-sizing: border-box;"> Additional details of the preliminary AIP will be released by the NC in the days ahead. As those details are released and you gain more insight into the AIP, you can continue to provide your feedback to us via SoundOff . We encourage all feedback; however, it is important to remember that the AIP is only the framework of the actual proposed TA. A true and accurate assessment of the proposed deal cannot be done without a review of the final contract language. Our responsibility as your Domicile Reps is to continue to represent the will of the LGA pilots.  Spring Regular BOD Meeting The Spring meeting encompasses much of the regular business of managing and administering our Union. Together with the Fall meeting, they serve to ensure we are being responsible stewards of your hard-earned dues through budgeting and audits, have the proper pilot-volunteers and staffing levels, as well as receiving regular reports from National Committees. A synopsis of the meeting can be found here: Spring BOD Meeting , as part of the News Digest. We welcomed newly elected Reps from BOS, LAX and ORD and are honored to be working with all of them. The pilots of those domiciles have chosen wisely and are very well represented. The BOD is unified and will continue our work with the National Officers, National Committees, and staff to further enhance and protect our collective interests as American Airlines pilots.  In addition, we received a briefing from a third-party vendor proposing to improve our trip trade system. We voted to join the International Federation of Airline Pilots Association (IFALPA) and International Trade Federation (ITF) to ensure our Union’s standing in critical international aviation associations, such as ICAO. Also, an Ad Hoc committee was formed to further explore APA leadership’s goal of electronic voting for elections in compliance with DOL regulations.  LGA Family Awareness Our LGA team needs volunteers for the Fini-Flight program that honors our retiring pilots at the gate on their final flight. Please email LGA-FamilyAwareness@alliedpilots.org to volunteer at any of our three terminals. For more about the program click here: LGA Fini-Flight . Additionally, we are in the process of planning summer events and scheduling a retirement dinner for our LGA pilots. More details to follow as we are able.  APA Positive Rate Podcast Keep up with the latest information by subscribing via your favorite podcast service. Search “Allied Pilots Association” to ensure you always receive the latest episode automatically. Alternatively, you may click here to listen from our website: APA Positive Rate . Look for an upcoming episode on the current state of negotiations. Back The APA Political Action Committee During this week’s BOD Meeting, Government Affairs Chair CA Harvey Meek emphasized that we strive for an even balance between both major political parties regarding contributions. It is imperative that the APA GAC engage both sides of the aisle when advocating for those issues critical to our profession. CA Meek noted that our PAC’s funding is derived solely from members’ voluntary contributions. LGA pilots have continued to increase their support month over month, but to beat DCA we are asking for more pilots to contribute, and for current PAC-backers to consider increasing their support levels. Our Political Action Committee would be extremely well-funded if every APA member contributed as if his or her career depended on it – because it does. Click here: Back The PAC   Domicile Monthly PAC Participation In Solidarity, Larry & Jim
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New York

Preliminary Agreement in Principle

Fellow LAX pilots, As you’ve all heard by now, the Negotiating Committee and the company reached a preliminary Agreement in Principle last week. While some information has been sent out by your Negotiating Committee, please be patient while the additional information is completed and made available. We have pilots opining about the perceived merits or lack thereof of the proposed terms. This is all based on the limited information available. Please be patient. We must wait for contract language to be crafted before comparing and judging this proposed agreement. Don’t forget our base meeting June 21 at the LAX ARFF facility. We will have pilots there from Negotiating, Scheduling, Project Wingman, and DPASC. Click here to RSVP . There’s a lot happening right now with plenty of speculation and opinions. Please stay vigilant in the cockpit, leave the distractions aft of the door, and take care of each other out there. CA Bill Evans LAX Domicile Chair LAX-Chair@alliedpilots.org 479-530-4569 CA Tim Dick LAX Domicile Vice Chair LAX-Vice@alliedpilots.org 775-690-7094
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Los Angeles
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