Teamsters Airline Division: Republic Airways Continues Attack On Pilot Group With Sham Furloughs

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International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Sep 09, 2011, 04:44 ET

Company Interfering with Pilots' Union Representation

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Teamster-represented pilots of Republic Airways learned today that Republic plans to furlough approximately 56 pilots despite the fact that the profitable airline is currently so understaffed that it asks pilots to volunteer to work overtime every day.

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"This sham furlough is simply another attack by Republic Holdings on its pilot group," said IBT Airline Director David Bourne. "Republic executives are trying to blame the pilots for their own inability to create a viable business plan at its subsidiary, Frontier—a failure that has caused Republic's stock to lose more than two-thirds of its value since Republic Holdings acquired Frontier. Rather than own up to their failed leadership, Republic executives falsely shift blame to its pilots and their union to undermine the resolve of the pilot group to obtain a new collective bargaining agreement under Teamster representation."

Republic Airlines IBT Local 357 Pilot Executive Council Chairman Pat Gannon stated, "This furlough is completely unnecessary. Our airline is currently understaffed with pilots. The Company asks pilots every day to volunteer to work overtime. Our airline has produced tens of millions of dollars in profit in the past year, but the Company claims it cannot finance new aircraft because of Frontier's losses. Republic's claims that it needs to furlough are false and another effort to blame its pilots for the Company's senior management's inability to develop a viable business plan at Frontier Airlines."

Bourne stated further, "We will closely review Republic's actions today. If we conclude that this sham furlough violates the rights of Republic pilots we will move aggressively to protect the Republic pilots."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hard-working men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico including more than 75,000 workers in the airline industry. Go to www.teamster.org for more information.

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters