The latest news from the Union.

Fellow Omni Pilots,

Last week, we sent you an important negotiation’s update. If you haven’t read it yet, it’s available here. In that update, we discussed the company’s posturing at the bargaining table, reviewed the ultimatum it made on compensation, and explained why rejecting it was the right move for this pilot group. We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from you.

Last Wednesday, when it became clear that the pilot group would not turn on itself, the company contacted the union and confirmed that it was terminating direct negotiations over the new collective bargaining agreement. It has now unequivocally walked away from the bargaining table.

The company’s decision is, to say the least, a disappointment. We made progress together on non-economic issues, and the union has bent over backwards to work with the company through the economic portion of negotiations. But it takes two to tango, and the company has simply been unwilling to engage in meaningful bargaining over your compensation and benefits.

What this means going forward is uncertainty and delay. Under the Railway Labor Act, the termination of bargaining results in a 10-day waiting period, set to expire on Friday.

The company might file for mediation by that deadline by making a request to a federal agency named the National Mediation Board. Doing so will begin a process that the company describes as “tedious mediated bargaining stretching over several years.” The company has inferred that it will take this approach.

On the other hand, the company might choose not to file for mediation before the deadline. Doing so would release both parties from their obligation to maintain the status quo. This would allow the company to unilaterally impose a substandard contract on the pilot group, at which point, we, the pilots, would go on strike.

It’s shameful that the company has introduced this uncertainty into our lives, when good faith, direct bargaining provided a clear pathway to a quick and mutually-beneficial CBA.

Although the company’s “take it or leave it” brinksmanship has brought us to this point, we are prepared to confront this next stage. We are building on the foundation of a pilot group that is already united and is only beginning to realize its strength. Look for more information later this week.

Fraternally,

Omni Negotiations Committee
APA Teamsters Local 1224

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