Here's a union response from the UAL MEC Chairman to a Wall Street Journal article about the safety memo:
United’s Pilots Working for Safety
We take pride in our work, in our professionalism and in our safety record.
March 6, 2015 3:56 p.m. ET
As chairman of United Airlines’ 12,539 pilots represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International, I would like to respond to the article “United Issues Pilot Warning After Recent Close Calls” (page one, Feb. 26). We take pride in our work, in our professionalism and in our safety record. Procedures, traditions, infrastructures and tired processes that worked for the previous respective legacy airlines need to be readdressed, updated and modified. The United pilots have repeatedly raised these concerns with our management and offered solutions that seek improvements in training, mitigating external distractions, flight planning and the use of new technology to conduct safe operations.
The fact that pilots and management can discuss these issues and work toward solutions should give our customers comfort. The U.S. aviation industry has long-standing safety programs in place that identify threats and errors through a cooperative approach among ALPA, management and the Federal Aviation Administration. The release of a Jan. 9 confidential company memo to the media is unfortunate. Good practice requires open communication within the company regarding safety issues. Every employee at United Airlines has safety at the forefront of their minds and their actions. The pilots have a legacy of leadership in airline safety and will continue to advocate and strive for the safest transportation system.
Capt. Jay Heppner
United Master
Executive Council
Rosemont, Ill.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/uniteds-...tor-1425675378