Fellow QX Drivers,

For too long, we’ve faced challenges that our current union, the Teamsters, seems unable or unwilling to address. We lack the power to push for meaningful change against the company, leaving us with little influence over our working conditions. Persistent hotel issues—dirty rooms, no hot water, and other problems—continue year after year. Redmond anybody...? We are told the union cannot do anything unless an individual report is filed for each individual issue? Really..? It's been years? How about have some balls and put our union dues to work. This kind of thing doesn't happen at other airlines. Remember when the IBT patted themselves on the back for a record wage increase a few years ago? Every other regional was raising their pay. All we did was join the party. Alaska had no choice, but don't fool yourself and think it was because of our union advocacy.

Additionally, inadequate scheduling protections, like excessive duty hours, insufficient rest periods, long sits, etc.. jeopardize our safety and well-being. IBT talks a good game but has ZERO effective action. Most frustratingly, in the Pilot Pathways program, colleagues at OO and other airlines are prioritized for hire over Horizon pilots, and our union appears either unwilling or incapable of addressing this inequity. Now enters Hawaiian with the same results. The list goes on, for years now.

I believe the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), representing over 79,000 pilots at 42 airlines, could provide the robust advocacy we need. A lot of you may not know but ALPA represents many regional carriers in addition to mainline carriers. It might be time we seek out a change. IBT currently only represents a small handful of airlines with most being cargo carriers or the dying Silver Airlines. It really might be time to think about a change. Shake things up for a small improvement where we work.

In solidarity,
X