22 Bases Join in the Informational Picket With Contract Talks Nearing the Three-Year Mark

Allegiant’s long-running pilot contract dispute reached a new peak as crews at all 22 of its bases launched coordinated informational pickets. The action follows nearly three years of federally mediated negotiations and five years of work without a new contract.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 2118 calls the picket a warning shot rather than a work stoppage. As the airline so gracefully reminded us, "Teamsters Local 2118 cannot legally call for a strike, a slowdown or any kind of 'self-help' action until all of them have been met.” The Railway Labor Act bars any walkout until mediation is exhausted and a release is issued, which has yet to happen despite pilots authorizing a strike with a 97.4 percent vote earlier this year.

 "Allegiant remains steadfast in its commitment to working in good faith to secure a deal for our pilots,” it continued.

Committed isn’t a word many of the airline’s pilots would likely use, with some claiming that their compensation sits as much as 30 percent below the rest of the industry. This imbalance led to more than 1,000 Allegiant pilots joining the demonstration to push for better pay and expose quality-of-life concerns.

Pilots have also noted that an ongoing shortage is already straining operations, and with competitors offering higher wages and more stable schedules, the company may continue losing flight crews to less stingy peers.

Allegiant isn’t letting the struggle slow it down. The airline booted LAX from its schedule and added 30 new nonstop routes across 35 US cities, all expected to kick off operations before next summer. Four completely new destinations, including Columbia Regional (COU) in Missouri, La Crosse Regional (LSE) in Wisconsin, Philadelphia International (PHL) in Pennsylvania, and Trenton-Mercer (TTN) in New Jersey, are in the mix.

FMI: www.allegiantair.com