Turboprop pilots at ATA reject union bid Low-cost carrier had campaigned hard; base salary was not an issue. By Jack Naudi jack.naudi@indystar.com January 15, 2003 Pilots for a subsidiary of American Trans Air voted against affiliating with a union. Just 64 of 149 Chicago Express pilots voted to join the Air Line Pilots Association. At least 76 votes were needed. Voting occurred over the past few weeks by telephone and the results were announced Wednesday. An ALPA spokesman said he had no explanation for the outcome. "It's hard to tell on these kinds of things," said John Mazur. "It happens so infrequently, I guess we don't have a mechanism for finding out why." The rejection stunned Kevin Friel, an ATA pilot who chairs the ALPA union for about 1,000 ATA jet pilots. "It's contrary to what the majority of guys were telling us face to face," said Friel. "I hope they don't suffer." An ATA official had only minimal comment. "Obviously, the majority of employees felt that unionization was not necessary, or in their best interests," said Angela Thomas. The company deployed a multipronged campaign to defeat the union effort. Most conspicuous was a Web site that parodied a pilot Web site set up to promote pro-labor issues. The Chicago Express pilots, who fly turboprop planes, will continue to be among a relatively small group of commercial aviators who do not belong to a union. ALPA officials say as many as 90 percent to 95 percent of pilots belong to a union. Chicago Express pilots earn on average about $45,000 per year, which is on par with other commercial turboprop pilots, union officials said. The pilots were seeking job-protection provisions and improved work-rule benefits, Friel said, such as minimum pay for canceled flights. By federal law, the pilots must wait another year before attempting another union effort. Chicago Express pilots would have become the third labor group in less than two years at Indianapolis-based ATA to join a union. The company's 500 ground workers voted to join a union in 2001, and a year later they were followed by 900 mechanics. Both groups are now in contract negotiations with the company. Results of a union vote involving a fourth employee group, 120 ATA maintenance stock clerks, will be released Friday. About 40 of those clerks work in Indianapolis. The clerks are voting whether to join the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The stock clerks make $8 to $12.50 an hour, said Barry Schimmel, business director for Teamsters Local 135 in Indianapolis. Schimmel could not provide specifics, but he said that pay is "significantly less" than the industry average. Beyond pay, the clerks are seeking job security, he said. The company has eliminated more than 300 jobs since September. In 2001, the clerks rejected membership in the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Schimmel was philosophical about the outcome this time. "I choose to believe that fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me," he said. _________________________________________________________________ Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963