ASA Pilots Seek Arbitration

A four-year long battle between Delta Connection carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA), a subsidiary of Skywest, and its 1600 union pilots may go to arbitration.

ASA's union pilots are members of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). On behalf of ASA's union pilots, president of the Air Line Pilot's Association (ALPA) Duane Woerth sent a letter Friday to the National Mediation Board (NMB) formally requesting arbitration. In it, he told the NMB, in his judgement further mediation wouldn't result in an agreement.

Negotiations between ASA and its pilots have already been before the NMB. Those negotiation were declared at an impasse last May when the NMB mediator said the two sides were too far apart.

Since then, the two sides have engaged in informal talks that have gone nowhere. ASA recently offered a pay increase of .26 cents per hour to its pilots -- an offer pilots call "microscopic" and the company says is "substantial."

Capt. Rick Bernskoett told the Associated Press that first-year copilots with the airline could "make more money bagging groceries." Pilots peg starting salaries at $19,000 per year -- a figure ASA vice president Sam Watts doesn't dispute.

ASA has the option to reject binding arbitration before the National Mediation Board (NMB), but Watts says the airline won't make a decision before the board makes a formal offer to appoint an arbitrator.

Pilots say they're also tired of sitting around waiting for flights between hops. They want the airline to change the way it schedules pilots to reduce so-called "standby" time -- for which they are only paid $1.50 per hour.

Neither side offered specific numbers, but pilots say they're looking for a pay increase of less than 10-percent. ASA's Watts says, "They [pilots] are asking for more than the company has indicated we would be able to afford." ASA's offer, says Watts "is based on our desire to reach an agreement and keep us competitive in the regional industry."

Skywest, ASA's parent, reported nearly $74 million in earnings the first half of this year; that's over $43 million more than the same period last year. Skywest referred requests for comment to ASA.

FMI: www.flyasa.com, www.alpa.org