Recent polling shows an interest in exploring new representation.
An American A321 in Phoenix (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
Some pilots at American Airlines are looking to make a change in unions. The airline’s roughly 16,000 pilots are currently represented by the Allied Pilots Association (APA).
But 58% of pilots recently polled at the Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier say they “strongly” or “somewhat favor” a committee to explore a merger with the larger Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).
ALPA represents pilots at most North American airlines, including Delta and United.
According to a recent APA memo, the University of New Hampshire Survey Center conducted 908 APA pilot interviews from Feb. 3 to Feb. 13. Roughly 25% of polled pilots said they are “firmly opposed to an ALPA merger, don’t want a committee or want to fund a committee, intrinsic opposition.”
The pollster briefed APA directors in late March on these results, adding that there was no “unanimous sentiment on either side of the question” regarding an ALPA merger. “You have a majority who want to go forward,” the memo stated, citing comments from the pollster.
The APA did not reply to AirlineGeeks’ request for comment on these results.
This push for a merger between the two unions is nothing new. Last year, a group called AA Pilots for ALPA told Forbes it collected 8,219 cards in support of the merger, roughly half of the total pilot group.
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