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ALPA Praises Congressional Action to Safeguard U.S. Jobs
The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l commends an amendment
passed unanimously by voice vote yesterday by the U.S. House
of Representatives that would help safeguard the U.S.
airline industry’s ability to compete on a level playing
field by making certain that federal transportation funds
are not used to grant foreign airlines that violate U.S. law
or the U.S.-EU Air Transport Agreement access to U.S.
markets.
“Thanks to the tremendous leadership of Rep. Westmoreland
and Rep. DeFazio, this amendment specifically prohibits
shopping for cheap labor and simply requires the Department
of Transportation to follow the law and provisions agreed to
in the U.S.-EU Transport Agreement,” said Capt. Lee Moak,
ALPA’s president. “Congress has a responsibility to make
sure that U.S. airlines do business in a fair marketplace
and that the U.S. government’s transportation funds don’t
hand an advantage to foreign airlines that try to cheat the
system.”
Read more about safeguarding U.S. jobs. |
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ICT Becomes 53rd KCM Airport
Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT) in
Kansas yesterday became the 53rd airport in the United
States to provide Known Crewmember (KCM). In just two short
weeks, the KCM airport ranks have expanded by five. Bradley
International Airport (BDL), serving Hartford, Conn., came
on line June 4. Tucson and El Paso international airports
began offering the crewmember screening protocol on June 3,
and Reno-Tahoe International Airport introduced KCM on May
30.
KCM is a risk-based screening system that enables
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security
officers to positively verify the identity and employment
status of pilots and flight attendants of participating
airlines. To learn more about KCM and find KCM locations,
visit
www.knowncrewmember.org or check the KCM tab on the ALPA
smartphone app. |
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ALPA Canada Board Convenes, Advances Strategic Priorities
Members of ALPA’s Canada Board convened in Thunder Bay,
Ont., on June 4-5 to take action on a number of agenda items
and advance the Association’s strategic priorities. The
meeting kicked off the prior evening with an informal
meet-and-greet between the Canada Board and the president,
director of Flight Operations, and chief pilot of Bearskin
Airlines, which is headquartered in Thunder Bay. The Canada
Board took the opportunity to show its ongoing support for
the company and its employees since the Flight 311 accident
in November 2013, and the management reps underscored that
they see ALPA as a valuable partner in promoting the airline
so that all stakeholders benefit. Both parties reaffirmed
their commitment to further enhance their cooperative
relationship.
During the two-day meeting, representatives from all nine
Canadian ALPA pilot groups and the Canada Board officers
(who together compose the Canada Board) discussed ALPA’s
strategic priorities and initiatives related to the Board’s
mission: “To work collectively as the leading advocate and
representative for the Canadian professional pilot, with a
focus on safety.”
Read more about the Canada Board. |
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North American Ceases Operations, ALPA Secures $654,000 for Contract Violations
After months of uncertainty and court proceedings, North
American Airlines recently shut down its operations with its
final flight on June 7. North American parent company Global
Aviation Holdings had defaulted on loan commitments in
bankruptcy to Cerberus Capital Management, its primary
creditor and financier, in March. Shortly after this
occurred, the airline furloughed its New York JFK-based
pilots, including some pilots who were furloughed out of
seniority order. This move left only the carrier’s
Dulles-based pilots in service.
North American Airlines’ assets used to fly its Dulles
operations recently were sold to Omni Air International.
ALPA filed grievances related to the furloughs and certain
other company contract violations and, through the
bankruptcy process, has successfully secured funds of
$654,000 on behalf of NAA pilots related to these
grievances. The money will be held in an account until the
funds are distributed to NAA pilots in accordance with ALPA
policy.
NAA pilots have the backing of ALPA’s Furloughed Pilot
Support Program, including up to date information on job
opportunities at ALPA and other carriers currently hiring.
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Time’s Running Out to Register for Just Culture Symposium
You have less than a week to register for ALPA’s
“International Progress Toward a Just Culture—Proactive Use
of Data” symposium. This special event, scheduled for
Monday, June 16 at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C.,
will bring together leaders from domestic and international
organizations to explore the value of proactive safety
programs in moving toward a just culture in airlines.
Challenges, considerations, and lessons learned will be
discussed, along with various applications for the use of
safety data. To learn more/register, visit
justculturesymposium.alpa.org. |
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Two Companies Added to AFL-CIO Boycott List
On
May 30, the AFL-CIO announced that two companies would be
added to its national boycott list. The first is the
Renaissance Providence Hotel in Providence, R.I., This
inclusion was submitted by UNITE HERE, whose members work in
the hotel, food service, and laundry industries. The
second company to be added to the list is Staples Office
Supply. This inclusion request was submitted by the American
Postal Workers Union on behalf of their members working in
branch offices of the Post Office, within the stores.
National boycotts are endorsed by the AFL-CIO Executive
Council and all union members are encouraged to support
other businesses until these disputes can be resolved. Learn
more about the
AFL-CIO National Boycott List. |
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Attend GMU Transportation Conference
ALPA members are invited to attend the second annual “Cameron Rian Hays Outside the Box Transportation Innovations
Conference,” a forum for examining progressive solutions to
complicated transportation policy challenges. Be a part of this
special event Friday, June 27 from 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on the
Arlington, Va. campus of George Mason University. For more
details, visit
outsidethebox.gmu.edu. |
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See Your Photos in Print
We’re
looking for pilot photos of airplanes, pilots, skies, airports,
and anything else you see during your flights. Please remember
to adhere to FARs or CARs and company policy when taking photos.
Send you high-quality prints from a developer or high-resolution
digital images to
Communications@alpa.org.
Let us know who you are, who you fly for, the names of any
pilots in your pics, and what we’re looking at. Your photo could
make the cover of Air Line Pilot. Or inside the magazine.
Or in a video production. |
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ALPA
represents more than 51,000 pilots at 32 airlines in the
United States and Canada.
Visit us online at
www.alpa.org. |
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