APA Delivers Section 6 Opener to American Airlines Management
“Raise the Standard”
APA delivered its Opener this morning, Wednesday, Aug. 19, to management representatives at APA Headquarters. APA President CA Nick Silva and APA Negotiating Committee Chair CA Adam Rutherford led the discussion. Both emphasized the need for American to raise the standard of our airline, profession, and industry.
CA Silva voiced confidence in the APA negotiating team and reiterated APA’s unified goal to reach a new agreement that finds solutions that help the Company operate effectively and efficiently, while providing our pilots with benefits, work rules, and compensation that make us competitive with our peers. CA Silva expressed concern over an uptick in aggressive personnel action by chief pilots and reminded the management team in attendance that the success of American Airlines is directly tied to its relationship with its pilots.
CA Silva additionally notified the Company of APA’s constitutional requirements that, during negotiations to amend the CBA, at least two elected members of the Negotiating Committee and an APA attorney and notetaker must attend all on-the-record discussions.
CA Rutherford recognized the efforts of many over the course of implementing the 2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and challenged management to break down fears and assumptions that impede future operational and contractual progress. CA Rutherford emphasized that this round of bargaining is an opportunity to use a data-driven, evidence-based approach to improve scheduling rules to enhance pilot quality of life while increasing operational resilience, ensuring safety, and strengthening our competitiveness in the market.
APA’s Opener focuses on four primary interest-based issues designed to help our airline elevate and grow, narrow the delta between American Airlines and profit leaders, and unite our pilots with industry-leading careers. Specifically, the issues focus on pilot retention, scheduling and work rules, process improvements within the CBA, and ensuring our pilots contribute to and benefit from American Airlines’ strategic plan.
Within the Opener, the four issues are then broken down into multiple economic and work-rule subtopics. The primary issues are:
- How can we improve scheduling and work rules to increase operational integrity and resilience while maintaining a safe work environment and promoting fulfilling careers?
- How can our agreements ensure pilots contribute to and benefit from American’s strategic plan and direction?
- How can we improve CBA provisions to streamline processes and better administer the agreement?
- How can the CBA be a tool to attract and retain exceptional aviators?
On Friday, Aug. 7, CA Silva and APA Vice President CA Chris Torres notified the Company that, pursuant to the terms of the implementation timeline agreement (LOA 23-004), APA could not agree that the 2023 CBA was sufficiently implemented, triggering the Section 6 process and the provision that allows early delivery of openers one year prior to the CBA’s August 2027 amendable date.
Bargaining now moves into the direct negotiations phase, which includes finalizing a general negotiations protocol agreement and the passing of initial proposals. APA will provide bargaining updates to the membership as the process develops.
An overview of the Railway Labor Act (RLA) and the Section 6 bargaining process is available for review on the Negotiating Committee’s webpage. Watch your mail for a hard copy of APA’s Opener.
We look forward to serving this pilot group and appreciate your input and engagement throughout this effort.
Raise the Standard!
Your APA Negotiating Committee,
CA Adam Rutherford, Chair
CA BJ West, Deputy Chair
CA Zachary Blackburn
CA Alice Novatnak
CA Matt Stanley
CA Patrick Zeller