I'm confused here, I thought you already voted on this
AirTran pilots approve merger with larger union
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution by Kelly Yamanouchi
Saturday, February 21, 2009
The board of AirTran Airways’ independent pilots union has approved an agreement to merge with the Air Line Pilots Association and become part of the world’s largest pilots union.
The Atlanta-based National Pilots Association’s board voted unanimously to approve the merger agreement. The NPA represents AirTran’s roughly 1,700 pilots and was certified in 1997. Orlando-based AirTran has its main hub in Atlanta and its pilots are based here.
A merger essentially means a switch of representation to ALPA. Members will vote on the deal between March 11 and April 10. Pending approval by the pilots and ALPA leadership, the merger would be effective May 1.
ALPA, which also represents pilots at AirTran rival Delta Air Lines and more than 30 other carriers, offers more resources than the NPA.
Joining could also present conflicting interests between the pilot groups.
NPA president Mike Best said the agreement calls for the AirTran pilot union’s existing leaders to remain until spring 2010.
“There’s no indication from our pilots that there’s any dissatisfaction with the leadership, it’s just they wanted the leadership to have more resources,” he said.
AirTran and its pilots, have been haggling over a new contract since 2004.
“Our hope is that [the switch to ALPA] will give us more resources to get a better contract sooner,” Best said.
The merger agreement with the ALPA comes after campaigns among pilots for the Teamsters and for ALPA.