Negotiations Update : 05-08-2020

Dear Crewmembers,

Your Negotiating Committee just concluded another week of negotiations where we agreed to continue the format of meeting virtually in light of the challenges associated with the COVID-19 global pandemic.

As we narrow in on the remaining items related to Article 25 – Scheduling, we are left with the most contentious topics in this very important article. Although we continue to strive to make creative proposals to fix the remaining concerns we have in the scheduling article, we are challenged by the lack of progress on what still remains unresolved. We remain hopeful both parties can come up with creative solutions to these very important issues at hand.

Throughout the week, we continued to negotiate on the Professional Standards Letter of Agreement as well as the HIMS Letter of Agreement. We are happy to report that we have reached Tentative Agreements on both of these LOAs. In doing so, we have now achieved formalized programs for Professional Standards and HIMS, where there has never been a formal agreement in either of these areas for the 28 years this airline has been in business. The completion of both of these LOAs will establish authority for both the Professional Standards Committee and HIMS Committee while at the same time providing procedures for the committees and the company to follow. Although these LOAs will not have a direct impact on every single pilot within the pilot group, the newly established procedures within each LOA could have a significant positive impact on an individual pilot’s career when faced with a professionalism issue or a substance abuse issue. The Tentative Agreements reached on these two LOAs are yet another step taken by this pilot group towards an industry standard contract.

We also continued our work on the Fatigue Risk Management Letter of Agreement. In dealing with this subject, unfortunately, as we all know too well, it is necessary to wrestle with our ever-changing flight schedules and the challenges associated with long duty days. So, we continue to insist, as we must, that the fatigue program remain non-punitive. As a result, we still have some remaining items unresolved in this very important LOA that we hope to conclude in the upcoming round of bargaining.

As I am sure you are all aware by now, the bright spot this week was reaching agreement on the Wage Increase Letter of Agreement that we signed Wednesday morning. This letter of agreement provides for a 10% interim pay rate increase across all fleets and positions, effective May 1st. The Wage Increase Letter of Agreement provides for a much-needed pay raise after years of stagnation during which we watched our peers at other airlines enjoy substantial gains. We acknowledge that management has taken an important intermediate step in the right direction with this agreement. We will continue to push for significantly improved pay rates in the upcoming contract, along with our efforts at reaching our long-established goal of an industry standard CBA in every respect.

Our next bargaining session is scheduled for the week of June 8th – June 12th.

Your Atlas Air and Southern Air Negotiating Committee