Negotiating Update (5/20/24)

Fellow Allegiant Air Pilots,

Week in Review: Preparations and Base Visits

Last week, your Negotiating Committee convened in Cincinnati for three days of preparation for the upcoming in-person bargaining sessions in Las Vegas, scheduled for May 20-23. We started the week with a very informative Meet and Greet event with CVG base pilots—we are grateful that so many of you made the effort to join us. It was our privilege to hear your insights and address your concerns; your continued input will guide our efforts as we work towards a new and improved contract with Allegiant.

We spent our time this week focused on the Scheduling section of our contract. Scheduling is a section of the contract that requires, and is receiving, a lot of attention from both sides of the bargaining table. We are acutely aware of the challenges posed by our company’s unique business model and its reliance on an inadequate, antiquated, “home-grown” software solution to build and manage schedules. The high degree of bidder dissatisfaction (preferences denied, line inversions, etc.) is proof positive that the existing system requires an immediate overhaul. Simply asking pilots to “work more” is neither a reasonable nor viable solution for the near or long term.

Based on your input, we have developed a proposal that will deliver significant and immediate improvements to your schedules and quality of life in the short term and discussed several items required in a long-term scheduling solution. Your Negotiating Committee is committed to delivering the scheduling improvements you deserve, while respecting the company’s unique business model.

Company Update

The company recently issued a statement indicating that they would like to reach a Tentative Agreement (TA) on a new contract within the next few weeks. The question is “what kind of contract and how does it compare to what others are receiving in this pilot market?” It’s important to note that while this team is ready to secure a TA as expeditiously as possible, we will not sacrifice quality or the desires of our pilots nor will we be pressured to accept a substandard agreement based on arbitrary dates on the calendar. We are committed to securing a very good contract, as quickly as possible, because we know that is what you expect of us.

We trust that the company’s apparent enthusiasm for a quick deal matches their commitment to solving the significant scheduling, quality of life, compensation, and other issues that matter most to our pilots. This negotiating team will be coming to this week’s bargaining session ready and prepared with solutions to these problems. Should the company’s messaging enthusiasm match their bargaining and problem-solving efforts, we believe that significant progress can be made in a relatively short period of time.

Upcoming Mediation Session Changes

The National Mediation Board has informed the Union and Company that it needs to reschedule the June 3-6 mediation session and have offered make up dates. New dates will be discussed with the company and set next week. Mediation dates for the second week of June remain as scheduled. Expect further updates soon regarding future mediation dates.

Mediation Process

Occasionally, the National Mediation Board (NMB) mediators request that the parties refrain from publicly discussing the details of certain presentations made across the bargaining table. They do this to facilitate an open dialogue that can lead to viable proposals and tentative agreements as negotiations move forward. It is a normal part of the mediation process. They made that very request of the parties when we met on May 9 for a mediator-organized virtual meeting. Both parties agreed to honor their request.

If management circumvents union negotiators and appeals directly to pilots through written messages, one-on-one and group discussions, strategic leaks, etc., they do it for two related reasons: (1) to sow disunity and desperation among the pilot group; and 2) to cause pilots to pressure their own negotiators to accept a worse deal than the negotiators believe is available.

It should be made clear that your Negotiating Committee respects the integrity of the negotiation process, and we expect the same from all parties involved. Any breach of this trust will negatively impact the negotiating process and we want to avoid this at all costs.

Moving Forward

We are working very hard to secure a deal that truly reflects the needs of this pilot group. Your ongoing support, trust, and feedback are critical to the process. Remain engaged and share your insights as we lean into the most important sessions ahead.

You are the backbone of this airline. Your value to this company must be reflected in any Tentative Agreement (TA) sent to the membership for a vote. We will fight for what you deserve and will not settle for anything less.

In Unity,

Captain Joshua Allen
Negotiating Committee Chairman

Captain Jay Killen
Pilot Negotiator

Captain J.R. Lynch
Chief of Staff

Captain Jim Cole
Recording Analyst