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UALPAPAE: ALPA Management Failed to Bargain in Good Faith Says NLRB General Counsel

Dépèche transmise le 6 juillet 2009 par Business Wire

HERNDON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Management of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) failed to bargain in good faith with its professional and unionized employees, alleged the General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in a Complaint and Notice of Hearing issued June 30, 2009. The General Counsel agreed with the Union of ALPA Professional and Administrative Employees (UALPAPAE), Unit 1’s claim that ALPA management failed to fulfill its collective bargaining obligations in violation of Sections 8(a)(1) and (5) of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) when it laid off Unit 1 employees without first offering the in-house union the opportunity to negotiate.

“We are extremely pleased that the General Counsel recognized and upheld our right to fair labor practices by taking this action,” said Jay Wells, former UALPAPAE, Unit 1 president. “In our recent contract negotiations, our Negotiating Committee fought hard to protect our members’ jobs, and this vindicates their efforts.”

Unit 1 employees’ contract expired on March 31, 2009, and they have been working under rules and conditions imposed by management two months ago. Despite their current situation, members see this victory as the impetus for coming to fair and equitable terms with management.

“In siding with Unit 1, the NLRB has made it clear that it expects our management to comply with the requirements of the National Labor Relations Act, to bargain in good faith, and to treat all employees fairly, equitably, and with respect for their hard work and contributions,” said Don McClure, Unit 1 president. “As we move forward, we hope that management will fulfill that expectation and re-engage with us in negotiating a new contract.”

The General Counsel also recommended that the affected employees be immediately reinstated to their former jobs or equivalent positions if those jobs no longer exist, and that they be made whole for any loss of earnings and benefits suffered as part of the remedy for the unfair labor practices.

This action taken by the NLRB is the first step in processing the UALPAPAE, Unit 1 unfair labor practices charge, which was filed against ALPA management last March. ALPA is legally required to respond to the NLRB’s complaint by mid July. A hearing is scheduled for September.

The nearly 60-year-old Unit 1 of UALPAPAE represents 170 employees, including labor lawyers, economic analysts, retirement and benefits specialists, aviation safety engineers, and communications practitioners at ALPA. ALPA is the world’s largest pilots union, representing nearly 54,000 pilots at 36 airlines in the United States and Canada.