American Airlines Pilots Demand 20% Raise Within 3 Years
The Allied Pilots Association (APA), which represents almost 15,000 American Airlines pilots, is asking for a 20.4% pay increase over three years.
The information comes from an interview the union’s new president Ed Sicher did with Forbes. He said the airline had “been running my pilots ragged,” and alongside the pay raise the union is also seeking better flight scheduling for its members.
“If it’s less than 20%, I don’t think our pilots would accept it,” said Sicher. He thinks the airline would accept the 20.4% raise, but retroactive pay remains an issue.
Pilots are in high demand right now, as many airlines struggle to hire enough and have been forced to cut schedules to to staff shortages. In June, American CEO Robert Isom offered a 17% pay raise for pilots. That news quickly disrupted negotiations at United, where pilots had been voting on a lower 14.5% pay raise.
The APA’s proposal consists of a 10% pay raise in the first year, 5% in the second, and 5% in the third, plus retroactive pay. Sicher told Forbes that American Airlines management wants to get a deal done within the next 30-60 days to achieve reliable scheduling for the holiday season.
Sicher explained that that pilots often must deal with rescheduling from the airline. Primarily, pilots operating to Charlotte experience consistent reassignments. “It’s 50/50 I will leave with the same first officer I came with,” he says.
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