Allied Pilots Association: "Do No Harm," Defer Decision on American Airlines' Deals with Foreign Carriers.FORT WORTH, Texas Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas, 18th-largest city in the United States[1], and voted one of "America’s Most Livable Communities. -- The Allied Pilots Association (APA (All Points Addressable) Refers to an array (bitmapped screen, matrix, etc.) in which all bits or cells can be individually manipulated. APA - Application Portability Architecture ), certified collective bargaining collective bargaining, in labor relations, procedure whereby an employer or employers agree to discuss the conditions of work by bargaining with representatives of the employees, usually a labor union. agent for the 11,500 pilots of American Airlines American Airlines Major U.S. airline. American was created through a merger of several smaller U.S. airlines and incorporated in 1934. It continued to buy the routes of other airlines, becoming an international carrier in the 1970s; its routes include South America, the (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange : AMR (1) (Adaptive Multi-Rate) A variable rate speech codec selected by the 3GPP for the 3G evolution of the GSM cellphone system (WCDMA). Using the Algebraic CELP (ACELP) compression technology, AMR provides toll quality sound at transmission rates from 4.75 to 12. ), cited the importance of crafting public policy that preserves American jobs during the ongoing economic downturn. "Because of the potential for further job losses in the nation's airline industry, we urge Congress and the outgoing Bush Administration to withhold judgment on American Airlines' application for worldwide antitrust immunity and related joint business agreement until a thorough assessment can be conducted," said APA President Captain Lloyd Hill. The union leader made his comments as Congress reconvened to discuss whether to extend aid to U.S. automakers. "Just last week the U.S. suffered the biggest monthly job loss in 34 years," Hill said. "Right now there is understandable concern about the many jobs that would be lost if one of our nation's automakers were to fail. "The last thing our nation's economy needs is even more layoffs in the airline industry. Accordingly, APA urges the federal government to proceed with caution," he said. American Airlines is seeking approval for worldwide antitrust immunity with British Airways British Airways in full British Airways PLC International passenger airline based in London. In 1936 British Airways Ltd. was founded through the merger of three smaller airlines. , Iberia, Finnair and Royal Jordanian, and has also announced a related "joint business agreement" with British Airways and Iberia. Hill said his union is concerned that if American Airlines' deals are approved, the carrier's employees face the prospect of having their jobs outsourced to overseas workers. "We believe the best course of action right now for policymakers is to 'do no harm' by postponing any decision on these deals until a thorough assessment is conducted." Hill described last week's announcement that British Airways is seeking to acquire Australian airline Qantas as a "further wrinkle" in an already complex and unprecedented web of international deal-making. The Courier-Mail, Brisbane, Australia's daily newspaper, reported that a merger between British Airways and Qantas could generate savings by "cutting jobs, and duplication of routes and services," illustrating the impact on workers and flight schedules when former competitors join forces. Hill also noted that opposition to American Airlines' antitrust immunity application has been growing, with the American Society of Travel Agents ASTA, short for the American Society of Travel Agents, claims over 20,000 members in 140 countries. Its members include travel agents and companies who offer travel products, such as tours, cruises, hotels, car rentals, etc. and the Interactive Travel Services Association both raising red flags. The latter represents online merchants such as Priceline, Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity. "It is our sincere hope that before reaching any decision on American Airlines' plans, policymakers clearly understand where these deals could lead," Hill said. Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association--the largest independent pilot union in the U.S.--is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. APA represents the 11,500 pilots of American Airlines, including 1,969 pilots on furlough fur·lough n. 1. a. A leave of absence or vacation, especially one granted to a member of the armed forces. b. A usually temporary layoff from work. c. . The furloughs began shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Also, several hundred American Airlines pilots are on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces. The union's Web site address is www.alliedpilots.org. American Airlines is the nation's largest passenger carrier and fifth-largest cargo carrier. |
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