CASCADE TOWNSHIP, Mich. — More than 1,400 Allegiant Air pilots picketed across the country Tuesday calling for better contract terms during ongoing negotiations that have stretched on for nearly four years.
The demonstrations took place at 22 airport bases, including Gerald R. Ford International Airport in our Cascade neighborhood, as pilots represented by Teamsters Local 2118 argued the airline is paying well below industry standards.
Union representatives warned that if current compensation levels continue, Allegiant could lose pilots and jeopardize local routes, particularly as the busy holiday travel season approaches.
"The holiday season is coming up, and we do not want this negotiation to impact any of our passengers or impact their holiday travel plans," a union representative said. "And so it's imperative that the company stop delaying and give us our deal."
Contract talks between the pilots' union and Allegiant have been ongoing since early 2021. Tuesday's demonstrations did not impact any flights.
In a statement to FOX 17, Allegiant Airlines said it has offered a competitive proposal, including a 50% boost in hourly wages along with a 50% increase to the company's contributions to retirement accounts.
Allegiant is currently in negotiations with the Teamsters Local 2118, with the mediation assistance of the National Mediation Board (NMB), to finalize an agreement for our pilots. Allegiant has offered a competitive package – including an immediate 50% average increase in hourly wages that scales to 70% over 5 years. Additionally, we have offered a 50% increase in direct contribution to pilots’ retirement benefits, improvements in long-term disability benefits, and extensive scheduling and quality of life improvements designed to honor seniority and protect our business model.
To further demonstrate our commitment to our pilots, Allegiant has been accruing a retention bonus since June 2023 that represents an 82% pay increase for first-year first officers and a 35% pay increase for all other pilots. The accrued money will be paid out in a lump sum cash payment to individuals once a new contract is ratified. For senior captains, that retention bonus has already exceeded $200,000 and counting.
Tuesday, the members of IBT 2118 will exercise their right to conduct informational picketing. This is not a work stoppage, nor is one imminent. We are operating our full schedule and do not anticipate any disruptions related to the informational picketing. Our customers can continue to book and travel with confidence.
For a work stoppage, or strike, to occur under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), which is the law that governs labor relations in the airline industry, all of the RLA’s bargaining procedures must be exhausted. Those include the following:
1. The NMB – not the parties themselves - determines if there is an impasse in negotiations between the airline and union.
2. The NMB offers interest arbitration to the parties to resolve their outstanding issues.
3. If either party (or both) turns down interest arbitration, the NMB releases them from mediation.
4. A 30-day cooling off period then ensues, which can be extended by action of the President.
It is important to note that none of these conditions have been met, and the Teamsters Local 2118 cannot legally call for a strike, a slow-down, or any other kind of “self-help” action until all of them have been met.
IBT Local 2118 has changed its negotiating team multiple times and was placed into an emergency trusteeship by the national union, which has impacted the negotiating process. Despite these unexpected changes, Allegiant remains steadfast in its commitment to working in good faith to secure a deal for our pilots.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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