Release #: UAL 22.01
January 11, 2022

United Pilots Elect New MEC Officers


CHICAGO—The United Master Executive Council (MEC) of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) today announced it has elected Capt. Mike Hamilton, a 25-year veteran of United Airlines, as the new MEC chair to lead their more than 13,500 pilots.

Capt. Hamilton, a Boeing 767 pilot based in Denver, will succeed Capt. Todd Insler, who has served three terms as chair of the United MEC. Capt. Hamilton is currently the MEC executive administrator and is serving his sixth term as an ALPA executive vice president.

Capt. Tom Murphy, a Boeing 777 pilot, was reelected vice chair; Capt. Mike Harrison, a Boeing 777 pilot, was elected treasurer; and F/O Paul Ryder, a Boeing 767 pilot, was elected secretary. The new slate of MEC officers will begin their two-year terms on March 1, 2022.

“It is an honor to represent the pilots of United Airlines as the next MEC chair, and I look forward to supporting all of our members as we emerge from this pandemic,” said Capt. Hamilton. “We must continue to work together as we face the challenges ahead, especially as we work to close Section 6 contract negotiations with the Company.”

“It has been a privilege to serve my fellow United pilots as chair of the MEC,” said Capt. Insler. “Together, we have faced and overcome many obstacles, including a hostile corporate takeover attempt, United senior leadership changes, a worldwide pandemic, and the worst economic downturn the airline industry has ever seen. Although our industry was hit hard, our pilot group still stands strong, resolute, and unified. We have enabled record growth which created thousands of new United pilot jobs and made many important contractual gains over the past six years. Now it’s time for United pilots to finalize the industry-leading contract we have earned.”

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 61,000 pilots at 38 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit the ALPA website at alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @ALPAPilots.

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