Allegiant Air
pilots have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike if the carrier fails to reach a new agreement with its pilots. Since resuming on October 22nd, the airline’s mediation talks with its pilots have yet to reach a breakthrough, with strike action now a viable possibility. Union Teamsters Local 2118 said that 97.4% of its roughly 1,300 pilots voted for a strike authorization as they seek improvements in pay and working conditions.
Allegiant Air pilot strike authorization
According to Teamsters, Allegiant pilots are some of the most “overworked and underpaid” in the industry, with pilots demanding industry-standard pay and better scheduling. However, the union claims that the airline will only agree to a pay rise if pilots agree to certain scheduling concessions. Captain Michael Nichols, an Allegiant pilot, commented,
“We refuse to trade quality of life for a subpar pay raise. This strike vote is about the viability of Allegiant and the communities we serve – without an industry-standard contract, we will not be able to attract and retain pilots.”
The union also cited Allegiant’s record $2.5 billion yearly revenue from 2023, and its latest quarter results reveal it is almost on parity with the same period last year. Last year, Allegiant struck a two-year extension deal with Teamsters for its maintenance team, delivering significant pay increases over the next two years for 683 employees.
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Just a few weeks ago, Teamsters pilots participated in a practice picket outside Appleton International Airport as negotiations stalled. With Allegiant pilots last receiving a pay rise in 2016, it appears long overdue, particularly given the major contracts ratified at the likes of American, Delta and United in recent years.
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The airline says it is “committed to the negotiating process.”
Captain David Mercado, another Allegiant pilot, added,
“When it comes to a fair contract, Allegiant wants concessions. We’re fed up and this strike authorization vote shows that.”
The union will hold a practice picket outside Allegiant’s Las Vegas headquarters, which will be one of multiple direct actions taken by Allegiant pilots across the country. At this stage, there has been no indication on when a potential strike could take place.
Allegiant says it remains committed to negotiations
In a statement to Reuters, Allegiant said it still plans to pursue contract negotiations “in good faith,” referring to the mediation talks overseen by the National Mediation Board (NMB). A spokesperson stated that the airline had offered pilots an average 50% increase in hourly wages, with an average increase of 70% over the next five years. Additional benefits tabled include “extensive scheduling and quality of life improvements,” as well as improvements to retirement and long-term disability benefits.
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If pilots do decide to push for a walkout, they will need to request release from the NMB process, which will then start a 30-day cooling-off period before strike action can take place. If this release request happens soon, the strike could coincide with the busy festive travel season in December. Boeing’s high-profile machinist strike was recently resolved, putting an end to the 50-day walkout that could have cost the company between 50 and 150 million dollars per day.