US Airways pilots haven't had much success battling the struggling airline's management.
By STEVE HUETTEL
Published June 30, 2003
The carrier laid off hundreds of pilots as it parked planes and slashed routes. Like other employees, pilots took steep pay and benefit cuts. US Airways scrapped their pension plan before emerging from bankruptcy this spring.
So when the airline acknowledged that because of a clerical error it failed to put a scheduled 1 percent pay raise in pilots' June 15 paychecks, their union laid down the law. Pilots wanted 15 days interest on the missed raise.
Chief executive David Siegel said in a weekly telephone message to employees June 20 that he'd honor the request but warned them not to get too excited. The interest payment will average 6 cents per pilot, "so you may not notice it," he said. The total for all pilots came to about $250, a spokesman said.
Nonetheless, the Air Line Pilots Association scored it as a symbolic victory. "It's important that the company understand and the pilots understand that ALPA is not tolerating noncompliance with our contract, on small or big issues," spokesman Roy Freundlich said.
