Confessions of a Union Buster Series 1

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Pilots,
This is how union busting works—and how it’s being used against us today.

The Cravat Coal Story 

In 1983, union buster Martin Jay Levitt was hired to crush a union drive by the United Mine Workers at Cravat Coal. He didn’t win by being smarter or more honest. He won by manipulating workers, dividing them, and turning management into actors in a staged play.

Here’s how Levitt did it:

  • Use the Law Against Workers – Levitt bragged that the National Labor Relations Act, the very law designed to protect workers, could be used to drag unions through endless delays. By slowing everything down, he made workers think the union was powerless and ineffective.
  • Turn Supervisors into Weapons – He gathered foremen, dressed them in jeans to look “relatable,” then sent them out to spread anti-union propaganda. Those who pushed “vote no” got bonuses and perks.
  • Plant Doubt and Division – A few skeptics were all he needed to poison trust. Pro-union miners were harassed, ignored, and forced into conflict. Levitt then blamed the union for the very tension he created.
  • Rig Access to Workers – When the union was supposed to get worker contact info, Levitt tampered with it—giving only initials, leaving out addresses and zip codes. Then management claimed the union had violated privacy by asking for the list.
  • Twist Language – They never said “union members.” Levitt always used “union bosses” to make the union sound like just another layer of management. Meanwhile, the company painted itself as “humble and caring.”

The result? Workers were divided, fighting among themselves, and the company walked away with 298 out of 391 votes—another union campaign crushed.

Sound Familiar? 

Levitt’s playbook is alive and well at Allegiant:

  • Delay, Delay, Delay: Coming up on five years of negotiations, management still says we’re “far from a deal.” They refuse extra mediation sessions, then send emails blaming the Union for lack of progress. Classic stall tactic.
  • Blame the Union: In their August 29th communication, they smeared our comprehensive proposal as a “bankruptcy proposal.” This from the same company that burned nearly a billion dollars on Sunseeker. That’s the real bankruptcy move—not paying pilots industry-standard wages.
  • Manipulate Language: Management insists they’re “committed to a deal that works for everyone.” Yet they reject sessions, reject solutions, and reject progress. Their words don’t match their actions.
  • Sow Division: Just like Levitt used skeptical miners, Allegiant uses “mole” employees to spread doubt and weaken unity. They want us pointing fingers at each other instead of holding them accountable.

The Lesson for Allegiant Pilots 

Levitt admitted: “All we needed were a few skeptics to plant the suspicion among workers.”

That’s the game our management is playing. If they can divide us, they can defeat us.

But if we stand united—every pilot, one voice, one purpose—they cannot win.

We aren’t asking for anything unreasonable. We’re demanding what we’ve earned:

  • Industry-standard pay 
  • Industry-standard working conditions
  • Industry-standard respect

We will not be manipulated. We will not be divided. And we will not settle for less than what every professional pilot deserves.

Final Word 

Don’t fall for these textbook tactics. Levitt’s tricks only work if we let them. The company can stall, they can spin, they can smear—but they cannot stop a united pilot group that refuses to back down.

Stay focused. Stay united.
Ignore the noise. Trust the facts. 

 

In Unity,

Communications Committee
APA Local 2118