Release #: ARW 15.01
August 05, 2015

Air Wisconsin Pilots, Management Reach Tentative Deal After Five Years of Talks

APPLETON, WI—After nearly five years at the bargaining table, Air Wisconsin pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), have reached a tentative contract agreement with management.

The two-year proposal continues pay raises in each year of the agreement, as well as quality-of-life improvements for the pilot group. Air Wisconsin’s elected ALPA leadership must now review and approve final contract terms before sending the agreement to the entire pilot group for member ratification.

“After five years of arduous negotiations, we are gratified to present this tentative agreement to the Air Wisconsin pilots,” said Capt. Chris Suhs, chairman of ARW’s ALPA Master Executive Council. “Our challenge since we began this bargaining cycle has been to defend and advance our industry-leading contract while our segment of the industry has been buffeted by bankruptcies and whipsawing. We were able to successfully fight off concessionary demands from the company, and we are excited to present a tentative agreement that adds value to our contract and our careers.”

The negotiators and union leaders will launch an informational campaign, including road shows, to explain the tentative agreement to pilots as soon as all of the final language is drafted. Pilots will vote electronically, and a simple majority is required to ratify the contract.

“Our pilot negotiators completed an impressive bargaining effort. I am very proud of their skill, determination, and patience in meticulously working through all 31 contract sections to substantially improve our pilots’ work lives and advance our profession’s standards,” Suhs said.

More than 800 professional airline pilots fly a fleet of 71 CRJ200 regional jets for Appleton, WI- based Air Wisconsin Airlines Corporation under the banner of US Airways Express. The carrier is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and is the largest privately held airline in the United States.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents over 52,000 pilots at 31 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WeAreALPA.

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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org