FFD Meeting Highlights Negotiations, Coordination

Pilot leaders from Air Wisconsin, Atlantic Southeast, American Eagle, Compass, Endeavor, ExpressJet, Mesa, Piedmont, and Trans States gathered this week at ALPA’s Herndon, Va. conference center for the Association’s Small Carrier Bargaining Forum and Fee-for-Departure (FFD) meeting. Event attendees reviewed financial projections for the airline industry’s performance in 2014, examined the initial effects following Part 117’s implementation, reviewed the Affordable Care Act and its impact on our plans for the future, and considered retirement plan issues that should be addressed in negotiations.

The meeting participants shared information and ideas concerning negotiating issues at their respective properties. Capt. Sean Hansen (ALA), ALPA’s National Collective Bargaining Committee (CBC) chairman, and Capt. Jonathan Allen (PCL), his pilot group’s MEC chair and CBC member, led a discussion on strategic initiatives aimed at protecting this segment of the airline pilot profession. The day concluded with ALPA president Capt. Lee Moak leading an open discussion on issues affecting FFD pilot groups and offering ideas about ways the Association can assist moving forward. ALPA’s FFD pilot groups have been meeting in person and holding conference calls routinely to share information and focus on industry concerns.

ALPA Responds to Latest RPA Incident (What’s an RPA?)

Read ALPA’s response to the recent ditching of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Predator B drone off of the California coast due to a mechanical failure. Capt. Sean Cassidy, ALPA first vice president and national safety coordinator, spoke with Bloomberg to outline the Association’s concerns and explain what will be necessary to safely allow remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) into the national airspace system.

Read the Bloomberg story.

ALPA Trains New Safety, Security Reps

Thirty-six ALPA pilot safety representatives, representing 12 airlines from the United States and Canada, participated in the ALPA Air Safety Organization’s (ASO) Basic Safety School (BSS), Airport Safety Liaison (ASL), and Security Training Course (STC) programs last week in Herndon, Va.

Read more about ALPA safety and security training.

FDX MEC Hosts Unity Event

As the FedEx Express pilots near the one-year anniversary of entering Section 6 negotiations with management, unity among the crew force has never been more significant. On Tuesday, the FDX MEC’s Strategic Preparedness and Strike Committee (SPSC) hosted a Pilot Unity Building (PUB) event in Memphis at Buffalo Wild Wings.

“This is the second time we’ve planned this event in coordination with our MEC meeting week,” explained SPSC chairman First Officer Mark Durant. “Aligning this event with the MEC meeting allows for all of the MEC leadership and committee chairmen to be in one location to answer members’ questions.” With roughly 200 pilots in attendance, this event demonstrated the pilots’ resolve and commitment to see this contract to the end.

Read more about the FDX unity event.

“Our Stories” Features Extraordinary ALPA Members

Air Line Pilot magazine periodically runs a column titled “Our Stories,” which features the extraordinary accomplishments of individual ALPA members. Whether bicycling across the Cascade Mountains to raise money for a local hospital or jumping from a refurbished C-47 as part of the World War II Airborne Demonstration Team, airline pilots are engaged in their communities.

Look for future “Our Stories” columns in upcoming issues of the magazine. To see previous stories, visit www.alpa.org/ourstories. Most importantly, let us know if an ALPA member you know is involved in a project or extracurricular activity that’s worth highlighting, so we can share that story with others. Write to us at magazine@alpa.org.

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