Carrier Says It Simply Can't Afford To Pay More

With the current economic quagmire facing the US airline industry, the last thing any carrier needs right now is an employee walkout... and pilots at Alaska Airlines know it. On Thursday, the pilots union filed a formal request for federal mediation... a first step towards possible strike action.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports pilots at the west coast carrier have been in contract negotiations since January 2007, with no success. The Air Line Pilots Association says offers from the airline to date have been unacceptable... and that "management has indicated to its pilots that they have no intention of reaching a contract that provides this pilot group with the pay, job security, retirement security and health benefits that its pilots have earned."

The request for federal mediation was filed by ALPA President Capt. John Prater, on behalf of Alaska pilots.

"More than three years ago, Alaska’s management requested, and an arbitrator imposed, pay cuts of up to 35 percent—wages comparable to airlines that had been in bankruptcy, even though Alaska Airlines never faced the threat of bankruptcy. In the two years that followed, our company made record profits, and our management failed to make any effort to include this pilot group in that success," said Capt. Bill Shivers, chairman of ALPA’s Alaska Master Executive Council. "We hope management will now come to the conclusion that it’s time to reach a consensual agreement, and not put us in the position of needing to strike to obtain a contract."

Alaska Airlines spokeswoman Caroline Boren acknowledged a number of differences between management and pilots in "key areas," including pay, benefits and the length of the contract. But she also questioned the union's timing for taking a hard line.

"At a time of rapidly rising fuel prices and a deteriorating economy, we are not in a position to increase the total cost of our pilot contract," she said, though she added Alaska Airlines welcomes federal help on the matter.

In order for pilots to strike the airline, the request for mediation must first be granted... and pilots may only then strike if the mediator cannot settle the dispute.

FMI: www.alpa.org, www.alaskaairlines.com, www.nmb.gov