In an opinion piece published on July 6 by the Huffington Post, I made clear that no one knows the pain of bankruptcy better than the professional men and women of the U.S. airline industry.

ALPA has a vested interest in growing competitive airlines that attract the best and brightest pilots. We firmly believe we should do everything within our power to remain the best in the world, because that is a ranking we can’t afford to lose. Unfortunately, there are challenges in our industry that threaten the future of our profession.

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.

In a May 20 speech before the International Aviation Club of Washington, D.C., I affirmed our union’s determined call for North American government leaders and lawmakers to advance the U.S. airline industry and its workers by safeguarding fair competition in the global marketplace and fostering air transportation modernization by passing a clean Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization.

As ALPA’s first national officer who comes from an all-cargo carrier, I know from experience the unique challenges faced by pilots who fly freight. As the union’s first vice president and national safety coordinator, I also witness the common commitment to safety, pilot assistance, and security all ALPA pilots share, regardless of what they carry on their aircraft.