After a special vote by the Executive Board of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) last week, the Air Transport International (ATI) pilot group has received a $2 million grant from the union’s Major Contingency Fund (MCF). The funds will support the nearly 550 ATI pilots in a critical negotiating phase after nearly three years of direct contract negotiations with ATI management.
“We are ready to execute an aggressive plan that will use both traditional and nontraditional tactics, as permitted under the law, to achieve our goal of securing a market-rate contract,” said Capt. Mike Sterling, chair of the ATI ALPA Master Executive Council. “The approval of this grant should put both ATI management and parent company ATSG on notice that the weight of the world’s largest pilot union unequivocally supports our efforts toward a collective bargaining agreement that will bring our compensation, work rules, and benefits in line with our fellow pilots across the industry.”
In response to increased profits and a drive to retain employees, other airlines have recently offered substantial raises, boosting the industry standard for pilot compensation.
The union and management mutually sought assistance from the National Mediation Board to move negotiation talks forward in March 2023, and the first scheduled mediated bargaining session is set for June 5.
