Company Reportedly Continues to Slow-Roll Negotiations

The Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council (MEC) of ALPA has reelected its officers and, for the second time in a row, the MEC has displayed 'a significant sign of unity' by electing all positions by acclamation.

These officers will continue to advocate on the pilot group’s behalf to get their concerns with the contract addressed, which include improvements to job security and quality of life. These improvements would help bring the contract more in line with the pilots’ industry peers. Despite the MEC’s early start in negotiations well before the current collective bargaining agreement became amendable on April 1, 2020, management hasn’t shown sufficient willingness to address the pilots’ concerns.

The following officers will serve a two-year term that begins March 1, 2022:

Capt. Will McQuillen is a Seattle-based B-737 pilot and the current MEC chair. Previously, he has served as the Alaska MEC vice chair and as MEC secretary-treasurer. In 2009, McQuillen became the Membership Committee chair and served in that position—including fulfilling the role of Furloughed Pilot Support chair during 2009–2012—until being elected to the MEC. He was hired by Alaska in 2006, having previously flown for Horizon Air and United Airlines. After being furloughed from United Airlines following 9/11, he flew for regional carrier SkyWest. He lives in Maple Valley, Wash., with his wife, who is also an Alaska pilot, and their two children.

A320 Capt. Joe Youngerman currently serves as the Alaska Airlines ALPA executive vice president. He also serves as the MEC vice chair. He is an Airbus 320/321 pilot based in San Francisco and joined Virgin America in 2009, becoming an Alaska pilot in 2016 when the two airlines merged. Capt. Youngerman served a term as secretary-treasurer and two terms as chair for the former Virgin America MEC. Previously, Capt. Youngerman worked at Midwest Airlines for 13 years until he was furloughed. He lives in Henderson, Nev., with his wife and two stepchildren.

Capt. Garin Tentschert currently serves as the Alaska Airlines MEC secretary and is a Seattle-based B-737 pilot. He is a retired colonel for the United States Air Force of 30 years. He has flown the C-17 Globemaster III and C-141 Starlifter, as well as commanded operational reserve squadrons. He became an Alaska pilot in 2000, where he served as a technical pilot, flight operations duty officer, Seattle base chief pilot, and interim system chief pilot. Capt. Tentschert lives in Black Diamond, Wash., with his wife and two of his four children.

Capt. Scott Mokos is also a Seattle-based B-737 pilot and current MEC treasurer. He has served in various roles, including Family Awareness block leader, Pilot-to-Pilot Committee chair, and MEC secretary-treasurer. He joined the airline in 2006 and two years later began his union work with the Alaska MEC. Mokos lives in Graham, Wash., with his wife and two children.

FMI: www.alpa.org