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Feeling left behind in pay, AA pilots mull shift to new union
A GROUP of American Airlines pilots are attempting to leave the Allied Pilots Association and join the larger Air Line Pilots Association.
This comes after Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines pilots won contracts with more pay and benefits than American Airlines pilots.
Resolutions calling for creation of an Allied Pilots Association committee to evaluate the issue will be introduced in at least two pilot bases over the next two weeks.
The proposals could go to the union's board for approval, with the goal of merging APA into ALPA, reported Bloomberg.
"There's a well-founded belief that APA, as an independent union, underperforms," American Airline's first officer, Mitch Vasin, was quoted as saying. "It can't compete with a national union with the resources and political connections and the size of ALPA. "This has been at a simmer, and when the Delta pilots reached their tentative agreement, it turned the heat up a lot," he said.
Supporters of the merger also say APA's structure, with a 22-member board, makes reaching consensus difficult and slows decisions.
"Our pilot compensation will soon likely rank a distant fifth or sixth in the industry," APA president Dan Carey told the union board.
"As the largest pilot group in the world, employed by the most profitable airline in the world, that's simply unacceptable."
Said ALPA president Tim Canoll: "We believe that all pilots would greatly benefit through single representation. Pilots would be better positioned to secure valuable improvements to advance our profession and further strengthen aviation safety and security."
APA represents 15,000 pilots from four carriers that have merged into one since 2001: American, US Airways, America West and TWA. ALPA has 54,000 pilots at 31 airlines in the US and Canada.
This comes after Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines pilots won contracts with more pay and benefits than American Airlines pilots.
Resolutions calling for creation of an Allied Pilots Association committee to evaluate the issue will be introduced in at least two pilot bases over the next two weeks.
The proposals could go to the union's board for approval, with the goal of merging APA into ALPA, reported Bloomberg.
"There's a well-founded belief that APA, as an independent union, underperforms," American Airline's first officer, Mitch Vasin, was quoted as saying. "It can't compete with a national union with the resources and political connections and the size of ALPA. "This has been at a simmer, and when the Delta pilots reached their tentative agreement, it turned the heat up a lot," he said.
Supporters of the merger also say APA's structure, with a 22-member board, makes reaching consensus difficult and slows decisions.
"Our pilot compensation will soon likely rank a distant fifth or sixth in the industry," APA president Dan Carey told the union board.
"As the largest pilot group in the world, employed by the most profitable airline in the world, that's simply unacceptable."
Said ALPA president Tim Canoll: "We believe that all pilots would greatly benefit through single representation. Pilots would be better positioned to secure valuable improvements to advance our profession and further strengthen aviation safety and security."
APA represents 15,000 pilots from four carriers that have merged into one since 2001: American, US Airways, America West and TWA. ALPA has 54,000 pilots at 31 airlines in the US and Canada.
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