American and US Airways pilots will get MOU information on Tuesday, union presidents say

Pilots of American Airlines and US Airways will receive information about the memorandum of understanding that has been approved by its unions sometime on Tuesday.

The news came in a joint message from the presidents of the Allied Pilots Association, which represents American pilots, and US Airline Pilots Association, which represents US Airways pilots.

"If the merger is eventually approved, this MOU along with the APA-American Airlines 2012 Collective Bargaining Agreement will serve as the foundation for the joint collective bargaining agreement (JCBA) for the combined pilot force. Your negotiating committees will continue working together as we develop this contract, jointly pursuing the best possible outcome for our memberships and striving to expeditiously join other pilot groups that are already enjoying substantially improved contracts," the message said.

Both unions approved the MOU, which includes seniority integration and work rules, a few weeks ago.

Keep reading for the full message.

-Andrea Ahles

Fellow pilots,

The Allied Pilots Association (APA) and US Airline Pilots Association (USAPA) share the goal of achieving the best possible contract for our memberships, and the increasing possibility of an American Airlines-US Airways merger has brought us together to work for that common cause. While this is the first joint communication you are receiving, your respective negotiating committees have been working well together since shortly after the announcement of the possible merger last April. Additionally, APA and USAPA have enjoyed a good working relationship for years though our mutual involvement with the Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations (CAPA), advancing common interests that affect our profession.

One of the results of these cooperative efforts has been the memorandum of understanding (MOU) that was approved by the APA Board of Directors on Dec. 29, 2012 and approved on Jan. 4, 2013 by the USAPA Board of Pilot Representatives for a membership vote. This MOU was the product of extensive discussions during the last month with our unions and representatives from US Airways, American Airlines and the AMR Unsecured Creditors’ Committee. Due to restrictions imposed by a confidentiality agreement, we have been unable to share any details of this MOU with you until now.

In addition to this joint update, you will be receiving information today from your respective negotiating committees outlining what the MOU means to you. If the merger is eventually approved, this MOU along with the APA-American Airlines 2012 Collective Bargaining Agreement will serve as the foundation for the joint collective bargaining agreement (JCBA) for the combined pilot force. Your negotiating committees will continue working together as we develop this contract, jointly pursuing the best possible outcome for our memberships and striving to expeditiously join other pilot groups that are already enjoying substantially improved contracts.

We recognize the prospect for substantial improvements this potential merger holds for both pilot groups. We will continue our partnership in this effort and will update you as conditions warrant. Should this merger take place, we are looking forward to utilizing the best assets from both unions to work toward a JCBA that we can all be proud of—a JCBA that propels the “New American Airlines” to the top of the industry.

Keith Wilson Gary Hummel

President, APA President, USAPA