Part 20, page 225

Transcript

The scan is the source; the transcript is machine-generated from it.

ALLEGHENY - MOHAWK LABOR PROTECTIVE PROVISIONS RECOMMENDED

For the second time in less than a week a CAB hearing examiner supported a position long urged by ALPA and recommended sweeping changes in the labor protective conditions traditionally imposed in merger cases. (PILOT BULLETIN, November, page 1). In his recommended decision approving the Allegheny-Mohawk merger, Examiner Merritt Ruhlen rejected the position of the carriers that the so-called "standard" provisions first imposed in the United-Capital merger case over a decade ago should be imposed again without change. Addressing himself directly to the changes in the provisions recommended by ALPA, Ruhlen wrote: "It is necessary to consider the suggested changes on their merits rather than to rely on a decision of 10 years ago made in a different economic climate upon a different factual basis."

Ruhlen's recommended decision endorsed the following changes in the standard provisions urged by ALPA:

(1) A shifting of the burden of proof under the United-Capital formula so that a claiming employe would be required to do nothing more than show that a merger occurred and that his condition of employment changed adversely. Should the employer contend that the change was the result of some factor other than the merger, the burden would be on the employer to establish that contention through the production of evidence. (Under the United-Capital formula, an employe must carry the virtually impossible burden of showing that his change in employment was caused "solely" by the merger and no other cause.)

(2) A change in the compensation for a displaced employe to include average compensation during the base period plus "subsequent wage increases" for the duration of the protection period. (United-Capital excluded all such increases.)

(3) A change in the base period used for determining average compensation to the one-year period "immediately prior to (the employe's) displacement" rather than one year prior to the merger as under the United-Capital provisions.

(4) An extension of the protective provisions'coverage to all employes whose job status may be changed by a carrier's rearranging of its work force in anticipation of a merger regardless of the date on which such a rearrangement actually takes place.

Examiner Ruhlen's decision is now subject to review and amendment by the full CAB as well as final approval by President Nixon before it may take effect. ALPA attorneys have filed briefs in both the Delta-Northeast and Allegheny-Mohawk merger cases urging that the specific differences of the alteration in labor protective provisions recommended by the two hearing examiners be rationalized in such a manner as to preserve the most substantial changes in the old and inadequate United-Capital formula.

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BOSTON PILOTS BRIEFED ON BENEFITS

Pilot retirement and insurance benefits was the subject of a presentation by ALPA's Retirement and Insurance Department in early December. The purpose of the experimental program was to present directly to pilots an analysis of their benefits and options in both the retirement and insurance areas.

Eastern pilots' benefits were chosen for the analysis and the presentation was made at Boston's Logan Airport on Dec. 2-3 by ALPA Field Representative Rhoads Donovan and Insurance Analyst Stuart Hall.

The program was a formal presentation by both representatives with the help of visual aids that outlined the Eastern Pilots' Fixed (A) and Variable

(B) Retirement Benefit Plans and the Group Insurance Program. Pilots were encouraged to ask questions and forms were provided for more detailed problems that could be answered through the Retirement and Insurance Department at ALPA's Home Office in Washington.

The experimental presentation was basically successful. One problem area, however, was the lack of sufficient advance notice, which resulted in a small attendance. Both representatives felt that although attendance was minimal, the information program proved worthwhile and was well received by the pilots who were able to attend.

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PILOTS SHOULD SPECIFY PAYMENTS

Inasmuch as the new dues and insurance system has billed both 1972 dues and insurance, when remitting your payment please allocate your remittance to dues and/or insurance in the space provided on the remittance stub. Should such an allocation be omitted, your remittance will be allocated by the computer.

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RUNWAY AT GREATER WILMINGTON AIRPORT REOPENED

ALPA has been notified as of Nov. 15, the East West (9-27) Runway at the Greater Wilmington (Del.) Airport was reopened after complete strengthening over its 7,000-foot length to 250,000 pounds maximum gross weight tandem wheel loading.

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PILOT BULLETIN

AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION 1329 E STREET, N. W. WASHINGTON, D. C. 20004

Second Class Postage Paid at Washington, D.C.

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DB Cooper-6182