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The Company negotiated unrealistically for eleven months then finally signed with, since proven, insincerity. Now they want us to give up the ground we held in the beginning. Scruggs wanted the Company to sign a letter of commitment to implement the January First bid on schedule. Kern brought out that modern corporations do not operate on a brotherhood basis, that it is purely a matter of profit or loss. He stated that the MEC is in the driver's seat and suggested that a two-month roll back of the 81 hour pay cap be effected for each month of the Company's utilization of the 90 hour credit cap, including the two months that they already used.

Crane pointed out that in their most recent letters the Company called it a problem and not an emergency.

Corkran then asked Glenn Aument what has changed in the Company's structure to allow an earlier implementation of the 81 hour cap now when they so firmly stated that they could not just a few months ago. Aument answered that it is a money game, that the Company is attempting to buy time with money that they don't have and that they probably would not be able to implement it before July, 1970, anyway.

Steece commented that the Negotiating Committee worked for eleven months and most of the pilots put it on the line to get the contract that we now have and felt that the MEC should not give it all back to the Company now.

During the course of the above discussions, several resolution and various amendments thereto were considered and rejected by majority votes. The one to finally emerge was amended resolution 68-83 which was proposed by Crane and seconded by Cusack. The vote was as follows: First amendment - 11 for and 1 opposed, second amendment - 11 for and 1 opposed. Resolution 68-83 reads as follows:

WHEREAS the management of Eastern Air Lines has requested this MEC to convene and consider a relaxation of our contractual monthly flight time limitations due to:

(1) The continuing Airway Traffic Control congestion, and

(2) The training involved in order to implement certain provisions of the new contract on January 1, 1969, and 

WHEREAS this MEC recognizes the Company's difficulties in coping with these problems,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this MEC will relax the monthly flight time limitations for the remainder of 1968 as follows:

(1) 85 hard hours or 90 credit hours will be considered the monthly maximum.

(2) All hours in excess of 85 are to be banked and drawn as needed to fill a pilot's pay time to 85 hours in subsequent months.

(3) The calendar year 1969 will be the time all banked hours are to be used to fill out the 85 hour pay cap. Any excess hours are to be used as vacation, time off, etc., but in no case is it to be used as overtime or premium pay.

(4) That this agreement will in no way prejudice our position in seeking a reduction in hours at a future date.