The US Airline Pilots Association (USAPA), which represents over 5,000 US Airways pilots, has proposed that USAPA and US Airways management "jointly seek a facilitator utilizing the services of the National Mediation Board to assist the parties in reaching an agreement." US Airways management and the pilots have been engaged in contract negotiations for more than three years."We are in the quagmire of a seemingly endless contract negotiation that has not served our pilots or our company well. It is long past time to end the stagnation," said USAPA President Steve Bradford.
The US Airways pilots entered contract negotiations with management in November 2005 under the terms of a Transition Agreement at the time of the US Airways and America West merger. Union leaders have said repeatedly that unresolved contract issues have created "confusion, inefficiencies and severe morale problems that carry over into the airline’s operation."
At the outset of the contract negotiations, US Airways pilots were represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). In April of 2008, the pilots voted to have USAPA replace ALPA as their collective bargaining unit.
