US Airways Pilots Fight Over Union

[Omaha Steve]

http://money.excite.com/jsp/nw/nwdt_rt_top.jsp?news_id=ap-d8vgape87&

Wednesday March 19, 2:00 AM EDT

PHOENIX (AP) — As a US Airways pilot for two decades, Richard Obermeyer endured years of pay cuts, a terminated pension program and the possibility of losing seniority after the carrier combined with America West Airlines.

But he's never dealt with frustration like this.

His union, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), is tearing itself apart. Many of his fellow pilots believe it has failed them, and emotions are boiling over as an election approaches Thursday to replace it with another group.

Pilots say ALPA supporters have clashed with their rivals at the upstart US Airline Pilots Association (USAPA). They've engaged in at least one shoving match, shouted profanities at each other in airport terminals and called each other to the parking lot to settle their arguments.

Meanwhile, ALPA has kicked out union reps accused of supporting USAPA, and pilots on the West Coast have asked management to negotiate a separate contract just for them.

"All of this is just pure frustration," Obermeyer said. "Frustration with how the pilot's career has gone. Frustration with things that were completely out of their control."

FULL story at link.