ALPA Welcomes First Air Pilots into Union

Merger will formally take effect on June 1

May 14, 2008 -- OTTAWA, ONT.—The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), today announced that its Executive Board has ratified the merger between ALPA and the First Air Pilots Association (FAPA). In April, FAPA members overwhelmingly voted to merge their independent union with ALPA. The merger will formally take effect on June 1, 2008.

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“Our Canadian brothers and sisters truly recognize that strength through unity is the bedrock of our union,” said Capt. John Prater, president of ALPA. “I welcome First Air pilots into ALPA and look forward to their involvement in our union’s work on the issues that matter most to our members—from enforcing negotiated contracts and addressing pilot fatigue to ensuring the safety of winter flight operations.”

Capt. Jamie Biggs, president of FAPA, added, “Uniting our unions will allow us to better serve our pilots and our industry in the turbulent times ahead. We’re looking forward to working with ALPA and contributing to its success, as well as to promoting the interests and needs of the pilots of First Air.”

First Air is the largest airline serving northern Canada. Wholly owned by the Inuit tribe through the Makivik Corporation, First Air provides scheduled and charter service to communities in Alberta, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, and the Yukon. Approximately 140 First Air pilots fly cargo and passengers to 29 destinations in the Arctic region of Canada, including many communities that are otherwise inaccessible. FAPA has represented the First Air pilots since July 1997.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilots union representing 55,000 pilots at 40 airlines in the U.S. and Canada.

Source: ALPA