PDT Pilots Make Contract Gains

Piedmont pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, have ratified the tentative agreement reached with the company in early February. With nearly 90 percent of the eligible pilots voting, 78 percent voted in favor of the new collective bargaining agreement.

The new contract includes a signing bonus, annual pay increases, and an agreement with US Airways mainline to provide career progression opportunities for Piedmont pilots. The pilots also agreed to contribute more to their health care, bringing their contributions more in line with the rest of the industry.

“This agreement not only rewards this pilot group for their commitment to Piedmont Airlines, but also recognizes their contributions to US Airways—Piedmont’s parent company,” said Piedmont MEC chairman Capt. Bruce Freedman. “We’re pleased that nearly four years of negotiations have been successfully concluded and we have come away from the table with a contract that will enable the pilots to see not only short-term benefits in their paychecks but also long-term benefits in their careers.”

The pilot group began negotiations in 2009, with both sides seeking assistance from the National Mediation Board in 2011. The agreement is expected to be signed April 1, with full implementation occurring over the next few months.

“All of us at ALPA are pleased to see the Piedmont negotiations come to a successful and mutually beneficial conclusion,” said Capt. Lee Moak, ALPA president. “We are grateful not only to the pilot negotiators, but also to the NMB and the Company for their efforts to obtain a deal that satisfied all parties.”