AWA America West Holdingsb

ALPA America West Pilots Respond to Management's Agreement to Merge with US Airways PHOENIX, May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Captain JR Baker, chairman of the America West Airlines unit of the Air Line Pilots Association, made this statement today following America West's (NYSE:AWA) announcement that it will merge with US Airways. "Protecting and defending the careers of America West pilots are our top priorities. In 1997, we saw the potential for a transaction in our future and were determined not to be caught behind the power curve if our company was involved in an agreement. The AWA pilots started a separate merger fund to cover all outside expenses, and it has grown substantially during the past eight years. When news of discussions between America West and US Airways first came to light, we set in motion measures enabling us to more efficiently realize our goals. Our teams are in place, and we are fully prepared to safeguard the careers of America West pilots who put their trust in this union. In our profession, seniority is everything. To be clear our union's Merger Policy provides for a process and timeframe for events to occur, but does not dictate how two ALPA pilot groups will integrate their seniority lists. Specifics on how the two merge their seniority lists are left up to negotiations between the pilot groups involved; however, if no agreement is reached, a merged list would emerge from a mediation-arbitration process. Clearly, in such discussions with the US Airways pilots, we would view a date- of-hire type of integration as a completely unworkable solution for the America West pilots. While details of the transaction continue to evolve, we remain focused on our priorities: protecting and defending the career expectations of America West pilots. As such, we will not allow America West management to lose focus on running an efficient airline or forget their commitment of operating in the best interests of the employees. We are a vital part of America West, and we will not allow our pilots' career expectations to be sacrificed as a result of our airline's success." The Air Line Pilots Association is the bargaining agent for the more than 1,900 pilots at America West Airlines. Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world's largest pilot union, representing 64,000 pilots at 41 airlines in the United States and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at http://www.alpa.org/. DATASOURCE: America West Airlines unit of the Air Line Pilots Association CONTACT: Lydia Jakub of the America West Airlines unit of the Air Line Pilots Association, +1-602-306-1208 Web site: http://www.alpa.org/

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