ALPA Opens War Chest for Ryan International Airlines Pilots

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,201409.shtml

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ryan International Airlines pilots, flying for tour operators such as Apple Vacations and FunJet, as well as the U.S. Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security, are gearing up for escalated activities in light of protracted contract talks that entered their third year in August 2007.

The pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), received $2 million from the union's Major Contingency Fund (MCF) and the full support of their fellow ALPA members throughout the U.S. and Canada. The allocation provides the Ryan pilots with the needed resources to fully prepare themselves and their families for a strike in the event that a fair agreement cannot be reached at the bargaining table.

"With the financial support and solidarity of ALPA's 60,000 pilot members, we are confident that our Ryan International pilots can achieve a contract that places value on their experience, skill and quality of life," said ALPA President Capt. John Prater. "It is in the best interest of Ryan's pilots, customers and owners, Rubloff Development Group, Inc., to resolve this labor/management dispute and improve the current contract, which is grossly inadequate for the service provided by these professional airline pilots," he added.

Ryan pilots entered negotiations with management in July 2005. The National Mediation Board (NMB) commenced federal mediation between the two sides in February of this year. The parties have reached tentative agreements on 20 of 31 sections of the contract. Once the NMB decides that the negotiating progress is at a standstill, they will declare an impasse and begin a 30-day clock which can legally end in a pilots' strike or a management lock-out.

"Ryan pilots are grateful for ALPA's full support in our efforts to secure a fair contract that's long overdue," said Capt. Erik Sparks, head of the ALPA unit at Ryan International Airlines. "Our pilots are solidly committed to attaining our goals and to fixing rampant operational problems we see on a daily basis."

ALPA established its MCF after the United Airlines strike of 1985. The MCF is maintained at a level in excess of $70 million and is available to fund responses to threats to member pilot groups.

With headquarters in Rockford, Ill., the Ryan International Airlines pilots provide service throughout the globe. As ALPA members, they are part of the world's oldest and largest pilots union representing more than 60,000 cockpit crewmembers at 41 airlines in the U.S. and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at http://www.alpa.org/.
Air Line Pilots Association, International