Sun, May 17, 2009
Union leaders for the pilots of
Spirit Airlines have announced that they have been authorized by
their pilots to call for a lawful withdrawal of services if stalled
negotiations do not result in a new contract.
Of the nearly 95% of the eligible pilots who responded to the
ballot, 98% voted in support of a withdrawal of services, if
required. This authorization comes after two and a half years of
negotiations and 'repeated contract violations' by the company. The
National Mediation Board (NMB) could release both sides into
economic self-help after the expiration of a 30-day cooling-off
period if it concludes that further mediated negotiations will not
produce an agreement, at which point a strike could ensue.
“When we started negotiating, this pilot group was certain
that the process would result in a fair contract,” said Capt.
Sean Creed, chairman of the Spirit pilots union. “However,
management’s refusal to abide by our current contract,
followed by a demand for $5.3 million in concessions while
announcing expansion plans, has destroyed this confidence and
forged the unity demonstrated by this vote.”
Spirit pilots and management return
to the table on Monday, May 18, for yet another round of
negotiations. Management has reportedly 'stonewalled' these
negotiations by walking away from agreements and layering every new
proposal with multiple concessions. In the fourth quarter of 2008,
management tabled tentative agreements in 30 sections of the
contract and put forward a completely new contract that required
millions of dollars in concessions, while also publicizing its
plans to expand service in the Caribbean and United States. ALPA
claims that during the very same quarter it was seeking
unparalleled concessions, Spirit was also realizing historic
profits -- according to the latest operating reports filed with the
Department of Transportation.
“If this company put even half as much effort into trying
to negotiate a fair agreement for its pilots as it did in
developing crude advertising, we would have a new contract,”
Capt. Creed continued. “This vote clearly shows that this
pilot group is completely fed up with this approach and is now
prepared to do whatever it takes to get the fair contract we
deserve.”
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