Dagger Dirk
3rd Apr 2002, 14:15
from this link:
http://www.nandotimes.com/business/story/339968p-2815485c.html
By ALEX VEIGA, AP Business Writer
MIAMI (April 2, 2002 7:45 p.m. EST) - The Allied Pilots Association said Tuesday that American Airlines is harassing pilots by taking disciplinary action against those who speak out on flight safety issues.
Union officials said American has given letters threatening termination to three pilots, taking issue with them wearing their uniform while off duty. All were wore their uniforms while speaking to the media about safety concerns.
Pilot Rich Rubin, a 22-year American Airlines veteran, said he received a letter after he gave a TV interview criticizing American chairman and chief executive Donald Carty for opposing a Federal Aviation Administration plan for stricter working-hour limits for pilots.
The two other pilots, Sam Mayer and Glenn Schafer, received letters after they spoke to the press about their concerns over the investigation into the safety of the A300 Airbus following the Nov. 11 crash of American Flight 587 in New York, Rubin said.
"We believe that American's focus on our uniforms is nothing more than a ruse, an attempt by management to intimidate our representatives and silence our safety concerns," said Rubin, who has been outspoken on pilot working conditions that lead to pilot fatigue.
American specifically allows its pilots to wear their uniform while on the job, traveling on American flights, attending funerals for American employees or other sanctioned company events.
Karen Watson, an American Airlines spokeswoman in Dallas, said the pilots' allegations of harassment are baseless.
"The only thing that we've addressed with them is the wearing of the uniform," she said. "There have also been pilots who have appeared in a media forum not in uniform. And those pilots have not received (disciplinary action)."
The company does have some rules on the books that address employees disparaging the company, Watson said, adding that the company counts on pilots to raise any safety issues.
Rubin said other American pilots who have spoken to the media while in uniform, including a pilot photographed in The Los Angeles Times, were not issued disciplinary letters.
Watson said American enforces its uniform policy when it discovers one of its 12,000 pilots or other employees violates the rules.
Rubin said the union has filed grievances with American in hopes of reversing the disciplinary action against the pilots.
While no pilots have been fired or suspended over the issue, the letters are the start of an official "paper trail" that could lead to the pilots being fired, he said.
The paper presented to the FAA/NTSB et al, can be downloaded in Word format (0.4mb) from this link:
http://www.iasa.com.au/folders/Publications/pdf_library/A300-corrected%20final.doc
(additional submission appendices not included)
http://www.nandotimes.com/business/story/339968p-2815485c.html
By ALEX VEIGA, AP Business Writer
MIAMI (April 2, 2002 7:45 p.m. EST) - The Allied Pilots Association said Tuesday that American Airlines is harassing pilots by taking disciplinary action against those who speak out on flight safety issues.
Union officials said American has given letters threatening termination to three pilots, taking issue with them wearing their uniform while off duty. All were wore their uniforms while speaking to the media about safety concerns.
Pilot Rich Rubin, a 22-year American Airlines veteran, said he received a letter after he gave a TV interview criticizing American chairman and chief executive Donald Carty for opposing a Federal Aviation Administration plan for stricter working-hour limits for pilots.
The two other pilots, Sam Mayer and Glenn Schafer, received letters after they spoke to the press about their concerns over the investigation into the safety of the A300 Airbus following the Nov. 11 crash of American Flight 587 in New York, Rubin said.
"We believe that American's focus on our uniforms is nothing more than a ruse, an attempt by management to intimidate our representatives and silence our safety concerns," said Rubin, who has been outspoken on pilot working conditions that lead to pilot fatigue.
American specifically allows its pilots to wear their uniform while on the job, traveling on American flights, attending funerals for American employees or other sanctioned company events.
Karen Watson, an American Airlines spokeswoman in Dallas, said the pilots' allegations of harassment are baseless.
"The only thing that we've addressed with them is the wearing of the uniform," she said. "There have also been pilots who have appeared in a media forum not in uniform. And those pilots have not received (disciplinary action)."
The company does have some rules on the books that address employees disparaging the company, Watson said, adding that the company counts on pilots to raise any safety issues.
Rubin said other American pilots who have spoken to the media while in uniform, including a pilot photographed in The Los Angeles Times, were not issued disciplinary letters.
Watson said American enforces its uniform policy when it discovers one of its 12,000 pilots or other employees violates the rules.
Rubin said the union has filed grievances with American in hopes of reversing the disciplinary action against the pilots.
While no pilots have been fired or suspended over the issue, the letters are the start of an official "paper trail" that could lead to the pilots being fired, he said.
The paper presented to the FAA/NTSB et al, can be downloaded in Word format (0.4mb) from this link:
http://www.iasa.com.au/folders/Publications/pdf_library/A300-corrected%20final.doc
(additional submission appendices not included)