NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Eleven Legacy US Airways pilots (LUS Pilots) are serving as lead plaintiffs in a Federal lawsuit and have commenced a solicitation campaign to support an action against the Allied Pilots Association (APA); East Pilots Seniority Integration Committee; US Airways, Inc., American Airlines, Inc.; U.S. Airline Pilots Association; and USAPA Merger Committee. Details can be found at eastpilotsassociation.com. The lawsuit alleges that a current arbitration over seniority rights is being conducted unlawfully, that union leadership is breaching its duty of fair representation obligations to members, including stripping 63 LUS pilots furloughed in the aftermath of 9/11 of their contractually earned seniority credits, and disregarding negotiated agreements.
“Virtually all aspects of a pilot’s employment rights and entitlements are based upon a seniority system,” says attorney Patrick Boyd of The Boyd Law Group, PLLC. “American Airlines knowingly breached their contracts with union members, which the union never should have permitted to happen to dues-paying members. Now the parties are arbitrating the dispute without respect for federal laws which specifically dictate how this should be handled.”
The East Pilots’ Association was formed by First Officers John Karas, John Carlisle, and Derek Allen, along with other LUS pilots who share years of previous union experience in serving their fellow pilots. Today, they are committed to a fair and equitable integration of former US Airways and American Airlines pilots (on behalf of the East Pilots Association) to assure compliance with previously negotiated contractual agreements.
The first hearing date before Magistrate Judge David E. Peebles is set for June 17, 2016 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York in Binghamton, New York.
“Seniority integration should be formulated in a fair and equitable manner starting with accurate service data and in compliance with governing law. The McCaskill-Bond Amendment – was enacted as a result of the APA’s mistreatment of the TWA pilots in the 2001 merger with American Airlines and is now being disregarded,” says John Karas, LUS Pilot and East Pilots Association co-founder. “We are not looking for anything we didn't bring to this merger, but likewise, we want to protect our hard earned seniority which comes from years of service to our employer. We hope this lawsuit will be the genesis for proper representation and we will continue to fight for the right to a fair and equitable integration on behalf of our fellow pilots. Seniority and length of service are as important as any pay component within our contracts and provide the mechanism to ensure fair treatment.” All East pilots may register and contribute funds for legal expenses at eastpilotsassociation.com.
