ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Allegiant Air pilots picketed outside of Asheville Regional Airport on Jan. 7 looking for an updated contract.
They are negotiating with Allegiant Air for an updated contract that includes higher wages that better match their industry peers.
They say their current proposed rates are 24% lower than other airline pilots. Also on the table are fewer work rules and scheduling concessions.
This is just one of many informational pickets happening across the country.
News 13 spoke with local APA Teamsters member Capt. Byron Girmscheid, who says they while this is just a picket, a full-on strike could come soon.
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“Allegiant Air pilots, myself included. We have voted 97% in favor of a strike if and when approved to do so. We realize that would be detrimental to passengers and flight routes and schedules and we care about our passengers and our on-time performance, however, we have voted 97% in favor of a strike if and when approved to do so.”
They have been in negotiations with Allegiant for more than three years over these demands, but the two sides have not yet agreed.
News 13 reached out to Allegiant Air for a statement outlining their negotiations. The airline told News 13 that it is the union that is holding up the closing process.
Allegiant Air’s full statement reads:
“Allegiant is currently in negotiations with the Teamsters Local 2118, with the mediation assistance of the National Mediation Board (NMB), to finalize an agreement for our pilots. Allegiant has offered a competitive package – including an immediate 50% average increase in hourly wages that scales to 70% over 5 years. Additionally, we have offered a 50% increase in direct contribution to pilots’ retirement benefits, long-term disability benefits until FAA retirement age, paid maternity and paternity leave, and extensive scheduling and quality of life improvements designed to honor seniority and protect our business model.
These are among the proposals that Allegiant has on the table on the issues that remain open between the parties. Allegiant has continued to try to engage with the union to close these issues, or at least narrow the gap, by making multiple comprehensive economic proposals. The union, however, has not responded or made counter proposals on the major outstanding economic items in over two years. We remain hopeful that the union will choose to engage with us at the table over these key sections so we can meet our shared goal of reaching an agreement our pilots are proud to support.
To further demonstrate our commitment to this process – and to show our appreciation of our pilots – Allegiant has been accruing a retention bonus since June 2023 that represents an 82% pay increase for first-year first officers and a 35% pay increase for all other pilots. The accrued money will be paid out in a lump sum to individuals once a new contract is ratified. For senior captains, that retention bonus has already exceeded $100,000 and counting.
The members of IBT 2118 are exercising their right to conduct informational picketing. This is not a work stoppage, nor is one imminent. For a work stoppage, or strike, to occur under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), which is the law that governs labor relations in the airline industry, all the RLA’s bargaining procedures must be exhausted. Those include the following:
The NMB – not the parties themselves – determines if there is an impasse in negotiations between the airline and union.
The NMB offers interest arbitration to the parties to resolve their outstanding issues.
If either party (or both) turns down interest arbitration, the NMB releases them from mediation.
A 30-day cooling off period then ensues, which can be extended by action of the President of the United States.
It is important to note that none of these conditions have been met, and the Teamsters Local 2118 cannot legally call for a strike, a slow-down, or any other kind of “self-help” action until all of them have been met.
During this past year alone, IBT Local 2118 changed its negotiating team four times and was placed into an emergency trusteeship by the national union, which has impacted the negotiating process. Despite these unexpected changes, Allegiant remains steadfast in its commitment to working in good faith to secure a deal for our pilots.”