ALPA’s ranks continue to grow stronger by the day. This week, this union’s national leaders ratified a merger with the Frontier Airlines Pilots Association. In a sweeping endorsement of the value of ALPA membership, 93 percent of Frontier pilots cast votes in favor of merging with ALPA, with 93 percent of eligible pilots voting. Beginning on June 1, Frontier Airlines’ more than 1,000 pilots will be represented by our union. 

The Frontier pilots’ vote marks a definite and developing trend—this landslide outcome is the third time in as many years that pilots flying for a major U.S. airline have certified ALPA as their new bargaining representative. In 2014, pilots at JetBlue Airways joined the union. The pilots at Virgin America voted to become ALPA members in 2015.

As wildfire ravaged Fort McMurray in northern Alberta, Canada, the pilots and staff of Canadian North Airlines mobilized to safely and efficiently transport people (and many four-legged friends) from Northern Alberta to Edmonton. The fire has destroyed more than 1,700 homes/buildings and forced the evacuation of more than 80,000 residents—the largest mass evacuation in the history of Alberta.

Our members were extremely pleased when the National Mediation Board (NMB) announced this week that the pilots at Virgin America had voted overwhelmingly in favor of ALPA representation. Of the 95.7 percent of eligible pilots who voted, 75.3 percent voted in favor of joining, showing their clear commitment to collective representation.