Skift Take
Carriers have been increasing pilot pay and advantages as they work with thousands to satisfy the post-pandemic travel boom. But is there a widely-viewed template for these contracts?
Amrita Ghosh
American Airlines’ pilot union has actually cautioned that the ratification of the company’s new contract offer remains in “jeopardy” as United Airlines has actually raised the standard with its own offer, according to a union memo seen by Reuters.
American pilots are because of begin voting next week on a new four-year offer that attends to a pay boost of about 42% and other advantages.
But the Allied Pilots Association, which represents over 15,000 American pilots, said the proposed pay rates along with some quality-of-life items in the agreement pale in comparison with those in United’s preliminary deal.
“Management is completely conscious that the proposed United offer has now put the ratification of our tentative arrangement in jeopardy,” the union said in the memo sent out to American pilots on July 16.
It asked the company to more improve the contract to “satisfy the new industry standards” if it wants to have a deal that can be ratified by the pilots.
“Certainly American Airlines management can not anticipate our pilots to accept an agreement that puts us behind our contemporaries at other airlines for at least the next four years,” the union stated.
A representative for American Airlines stated the company will deal with the union to make certain its pilots are looked after.
United’s four-year pilot offer provides cumulative pay raises of 34.5% to about 40%. It also includes provisions such as increased sick time, more days off and limitations on uncontrolled and some standby tasks as the company looks for to motivate pilots to end up being junior captains.
Dennis Tajer, a spokesperson for American’s pilots union, said United’s agreement will lead to at least a 2% pay gap in between United and American pilots. United’s back pay provisions are likewise better than what American has provided in its pilot deal, he said.
United’s agreement provides more days off for junior pilots and ill time than American’s, Tajer said.
“Truth of the marketplace has changed,” he said, including the contract deal in its current shape “will not encourage brand-new pilots to come to American.”
Airline unions negotiate their contracts in a pattern bargaining procedure where an offer at one carrier functions as a standard for other companies.
(Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh in Chicago Modifying by Sonali Paul and Matthew Lewis)
This post was composed by Rajesh Kumar Singh from Reuters and was lawfully accredited through the Market Dive Material Market. Please direct all licensing questions to [e-mail protected]
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