AICA

The American Independent Cockpit Alliance, Inc. (AICA) was incorporated in June 1993 as a nonprofit Delaware corporation. It is an independent labor union for pilots of American Airlines. The AICA is exempt from income tax as a labor organization under internal revenue code section 501(c)(5) and similar provision of state law. The AICA provides all services normally associated with a labor union except collective bargaining. It's membership is voluntary and dues are assessed at approximately 1% of a member's approximate annual compensation as an American Airlines pilot.

McCormick Advisory Group

McCormick Advisory Group is the architect of a twenty-first century organizational structure designed to meet the needs of labor organizations, professional and nonprofit associations, and any others who believe the ultimate direction and control of an association should be vested in its membership. This structure promotes a participative democracy, uses the team concept for professional services, and places membership at the top of the organizational pyramid. They have found that today's technology allows members an easy and convenient way to participate in the affairs of their association and to set the direction of its policies. This company feels their organizational structure will be the standard for the twenty-first century and has determined that it is applicable to all forms of associations including professional, nonprofit, and labor groups.

McCormick Advisory Group serves as the "home office" for its association clients. The services provided include communications, clerical, accounting, reporting, and business consulting. The company's staff is highly skilled in the use of all major office software products, electronic data systems, and state-of-the-art technology and communications. They are able to respond to the specific and unique needs of each association. The company limits its services to management and administration because it recognizes that professional services are best performed by a variety of specialists.

The founder and president, Kevin F. McCormick, has more than twenty-five years of experience in finance, accounting, and management, including positions in a Fortune 250 company and a variety of small businesses. He has been involved in the successful startup of numerous business ventures. Since 1987 he has devoted his time exclusively to his management company. Currently, McCormick Advisory Group directs the affairs of more than twenty separate associations, including the American Independent Cockpit Alliance (AICA) and the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA).

Mr. McCormick also assists in contract negotiations for those associations involved in collective bargaining. To support the negotiations he has developed an economic model that analyzes and reflects the impact of proposed changes instantly.

Major strengths of McCormick Advisory Group are its ability to provide quality and timely service to its clients without taxing their financial resources and to work constructively with the membership, board members, and professional advisors to achieve goals established by the members. The company is fully insured and bonded to protect the interests of its clients.

Seham, Seham, Meltz & Petersen

A Capsule History of the Firm

The law firm of Seham, Seham, Meltz & Petersen provides comprehensive counseling in all phases of labor law and labor relations. The firm engages in litigation before the Courts, the National Mediation Board and the National Labor Relations Board. It is expert in dealing with pension, medical and other benefit programs. At the discretion of its clients, SSMP participates in and sometimes takes the lead in contract negotiations. In the service of airline groups, SSMP has participated effectively in accident investigations, FAA proceedings, NTSB hearings and congressional investigations. In short, there is no aspect of the field in which the firm does not actively participate with expert skills.

The Senior Partner in the firm is Martin Seham who graduated second in the 1957 class at Harvard Law School. He began his career as an associate for major corporate law firms. Those corporations, including TWA, Pan Am and American, exposed him to the solution of industry problems at the highest level. He brought those skills with him when he served as counsel to the American Airlines pilot group in their separation from ALPA in 1963.

Lee Seham graduated magna cum laude from Amherst College and was a member of the Law Review at NYU Law School. His specialty is Labor Law of all kinds, including arbitration, discrimination work, and negotiations. His expertise in the area of substance abuse and drug testing resulted in an invitation to address a subcommittee of the United States Congress on this matter. Lee is fluent in Spanish and conversant in Portuguese.

After graduating from law school cum laude, Louis Meltz served two years in the South African Army's Judge Advocates Division. He is an experienced labor practitioner and is fluent in Dutch, Afrikaans, and Latin.

Scott Petersen is a former Air Force pilot and served as the Executive Administrator of the American Airlines pilots operation before joining SSMP. He has had extensive experience with contract interpretation, grievance adjustment, negotiations and benefits analysis.

Many of the firms other lawyers have served with the National Labor Relations Board or with firms engaged in Railway Labor Act problems. There is probably no law firm in the country that has given as much aid and interest to independent organizations. It believes that each client should be represented with the utmost vigor and determination. They try to participate in work that will result in agreement rather than confrontation, and solutions rather than diatribes. They have had the experience of sitting on both sides of the table and share one of the greatest aids to negotiated settlements; that is, the ability to put oneself in the other guy's shoes.