Teamsters Local 1224 Pledges Full Support to Spirit Pilots

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Jun 08, 2010, 10:04 ET

WILMINGTON, Ohio, June 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Airline Professionals Association, Teamsters Local 1224 issued the following statement of support today on behalf of the Spirit pilots represented by ALPA.

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"Teamsters Local 1224 and Local 747 strongly support the pilots of Spirit as they are nearing the end of their 30-day cooling-off period," said Teamsters Local 1224 President Joe Muckle. "We are familiar with the challenges they are facing because their struggle for fair wages and working conditions has, unfortunately, become a common struggle across the piloting profession."

As the Spirit pilots are preparing for the possibility of entering into a legal job action, Teamsters Local 1224 crewmembers are preparing to stand behind them. "Spirit Airlines claims that its ultra low cost approach liberates customers from being forced into paying for services they do not desire. I am sure their clientele do not consider having well-qualified, safe, professional pilots at the controls an "option." Spirit Airlines is a profitable company; their pilots deserve to share in this success, and their customers expect their cockpit crews to be properly compensated for their dedication, professionalism, and high level skill set," said Joe Muckle.

Teamsters Local 1224 and Local 747 today issued an announcement to all their members encouraging them to support the pilots of Spirit achieve the contract they deserve by participating in informational picketing organized by the pilots of Spirit. Additionally, should a strike or a lock-out occur at the end of the 30-day cooling off period, Teamsters Locals 1224 and 747 have vowed a refusal to fly struck work.

Following its declaration of a negotiating impasse, the National Mediation Board released Spirit Airlines' pilots and management to a 30-day cooling-off period. During this time, both parties are required to preserve the status quo, which means that management must maintain the same wages and working conditions and the pilots must refrain from any withdraw of service. If no agreement is reached by the end of the 30 days on June 12, the parties are then permitted to engage in self-help activities such as the imposition of new contract conditions by management or a strike by the pilots.

The Airline Professionals Association, Teamsters Local 1224 represents the flight deck crewmembers of cargo and passenger airlines. Its members include ABX Air, Atlas Air, Cape Air, Kalitta Air, Polar Air Cargo, Southern Air and Teamsters Local 747. Teamsters Local 747 represents the flight crewmembers of Arrow Air, Horizon Air, Gulfstream, Miami Air, Omni Air, Republic Holdings, and USA 3000.

SOURCE Teamsters Local 1224