Teamster Pilots Stand In Unity with Striking Spirit Airlines Pilots
Faced with a management unwilling to bargain in good faith, the pilots of
Teamster Airline Division pilots and flight engineers from several carriers, including Atlas Air, Polar, Amerijet, Miami Air, Centurion, Republic and other IBT airlines joined the Spirit pilots on the picket lines and added their support. “We were proud to stand with our fellow pilots as they stood with us when Amerijet went on strike,” said Daisy Gonzalez, Business Agent for Local 769, who represents the Amerijet pilots.
Local 1224 and all Teamster carriers voiced early support for the Spirit pilots, as did the Airline Division. “We know that Spirit management would not even think of trying to contract ALPA carriers to fly their passengers,” said David Bourne, Director of the Airline Division. “Because of that, it was only a matter of time before they tried to reach out to Teamster carriers, thinking they could reach across and get our pilots to fly. They learned hard and fast that union solidarity and trade unionism are not just fancy phrases at the Teamsters. We made it clear from the start, don’t waste your time calling, we don’t cross picket lines and we support the Spirit pilots,” he said.
“We’re very happy for the Spirit pilots that a Tentative Agreement has been reached,” he continued. “Now is the time for everyone else to step back, let the Spirit pilots and their union leadership review and vote on the proposal, without outside interference. We will continue to support them as they take this next step in their dispute,” he concluded.
United Negotiations Continue in
The UAL Mechanics Negotiating Committee met this week with the company in
While engaging in this process this week, the parties reached two Tentative Agreements, involving Grievances and Board of Arbitration.
The parties will return to the bargaining table soon after the July 4th holiday.
Airline Division Representatives Attend FAA “Shared Vision” Conference
IBT Aviation Safety Coordinator Russ Leighton, attended the FAA’s “Shared Vision of Aviation Safety” Conference in
Throughout the three day conference, there sessions that offered insight into many of the best and some of the worst aviation safety practices in the world. Industry and union reps discussed in detail, practices that are working well, and those that are not, in ASAP and FOQA programs across the country.
One particular discussion was held on Professional Standards Committees. Moderated by Mark Niles of Horizon Air (Local 1224), the panelists included Local 1224 President Captain Joe Muckle and Local 1224 Business Agent John Herron. The group offered many suggestions as to how unions can “police their own”, without discounting the necessity of having management and regulators, that are willing to treat pilots like the professionals they are with the respect they deserve.
Week in Review News Items
Labor Developments
The strike at Spirit Airlines illustrates to other U.S. carriers that staff and unions are equipped and ready to push as hard as possible for richer contracts in a rebounding industry…Spirit Airlines made a deal with its pilots on Wednesday that will end their five-day-old walkout, the union said. Pilots were working out a back-to-work agreement and technically remain on strike until that is done, said Andy Nelson, the vice chairman of the council for the Spirit branch of the ALPA…and the pair of Northwest Airlines pilots who said they were distracted by their personal laptops while flying a jetliner at 37,000 feet last year—and were out of touch with air-traffic controllers for more than an hour—won't get their old jobs back.
United – Continental Merger
United and Continental CEOs Glenn Tilton and Jeff Smisek got the worst end of an old-time whuppin’ Wednesday, courtesy of members of the House Aviation Subcommittee. During a standing-room-only hearing on the proposed merger between the two airlines, subcommittee members peppered the duo with concerns about their proposed deal and the impact it would have on airfares and small-city service. But those questions were just setups for the haymakers delivered by Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.), chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
Airline Industry Finances & Structure
Miscellaneous
Business Travel Coalition has raised concern over American Airlines’ plans to make GDS, online travel agents and travel management companies pay for access to content on AA.com…industry reaction to the Transportation Department’s proposed new consumer protections for flyers grew more divided last week with the release of data suggesting that the airlines were improving their act and that the flying public was beginning to see the industry in a more positive light…as the government begins deploying whole-body imaging machines to replace metal detectors at airports nationwide, some security experts worry that the new technology could make it easier, not harder, to sneak weapons and explosives onto airplanes.