Originally Posted by HSSimkins

I hadn’t planned on responding to this post, but I don’t want any unsuspecting pilot to read the original post and take it as fact. So, here’s the truth from someone who’s actually involved.

I’m Henry Simkins, Chairman of the IBT Executive Council at Horizon Air. I’ve held this position since 2022, after serving on the council before that. Taking the original post at face value—without understanding the history, contract law, or our industry—is dangerous and deserves a factual response.

Our council is made up of volunteers. We don’t collect salaries for our work. Unlike ALPA, we keep dues lower by donating our time—often daily, on weekends, and during holidays—because we care about our fellow pilots. Many of us got involved to stop the concessions past union leaders accepted (often turned management), and to stop management from convincing our pilots to accept deals like “Commit to Compete.” We said, “No more.”

The post suggested we need “big balls” to act. Well, we’ve been acting—taking the company to arbitration even under the restrictive 2016 contract and negotiating a new agreement for over two and a half years. Progress is slow because we reject the company’s unacceptable proposals. If the suggestion is to rush and take less, that’s not an option for this team.

The 2022 Contract Improvement LOA was not a “gimme” from the company. We spent six months negotiating it—sometimes seven days a week including weekends—while the company resisted and captain attrition soared, sometimes at 35 per month. We fought for and won higher pay, better 401(k) contributions, commuter hotels, fatigue protections, and more. Even at the very end of negotiations, the company still wanted to start FO pay at $63/hour; we continued to hold at $90 and told them to just close the doors if they couldn't afford that. We got those gains because of union advocacy, not corporate generosity, regardless of ball size.

On hotels, we’re bound an arbitrator’s Minimum Hotel Standards decision. Some locations, like RDM, were “grandfathered” in before this administration. Removing a $43/night hotel is not simple, the company continues to cling to that hotel like they have stock options in it, but we’ve improved many other locations through persistence. Data from pilot reports is critical—without it, the company claims there’s no problem.

On Pathways, my stance is clear: I’m against the current version and have pushed for changes to speed upgrades and improve terms. We sent the company a proposal years ago—rejected by Horizon, AAG, and ALPA—because pilots keep signing up under the existing terms. Pilot solidarity is hard to use as leverage for change when applicants are satisfied with the current deal.

I’m reachable almost any time because my motivation is civic duty, not pay or recognition. Ask any senior captain about the union’s trajectory—we’ve been moving up, and we’ll keep going.

Joining ALPA would be a mistake for Horizon pilots. With only 660 pilots, we’d be a small fish in a large pond. Our dedicated team, legal staff and decision-making speed would be gone, replaced by competing priorities with mainline. We would be swallowed up and lost by the bureaucracy.

I’ll get back to work now so that you “weekendsoff123” can keep enjoying your weekends . And please—don’t use “solidarity”. I don't think you know what that actually means. For everyone else, my door (and phone, and inbox) is always open.