Mesa Airlines pilots request federal mediation

Phoenix-based Mesa Airlines pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), have requested mediation services from the National Mediation Board (NMB) to facilitate negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement.

The decision to file for mediation comes weeks after company management delivered a proposal that was rejected by pilots.

“We are dissatisfied with the pace of our negotiations and we are asking the National Mediation Board to help us reach an agreement that recognizes the contributions our pilots have made to our company’s success,” ALPA Mesa Air Group chairman Andy Hughes said.

According to ALPA, once the NMB processes the request, a federal mediator will take control of the bargaining schedule and oversee negotiations going forward.

Mesa pilots have been in contract negotiations for more than six years with no pay increases since 2010, ALPA said in a statement. Both parties currently remain divided on significant economic and other pressing issues.

“Since negotiations began, the company has added more than 70 new aircraft to the fleet and offered bonuses to new hires while existing pilots continue to fall further behind in pay rates compared to their peers,” ALPA added.

Mesa Airlines operates as American Eagle from hubs in Phoenix and Dallas/Fort Worth and as United Express from Washington Dulles and Houston. Mesa pilots operate 133 aircraft, with more than 600 daily system departures to 124 cities, 38 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, Mexico, and the Bahamas.

(Linda Blachly - ATWOnline News)