Letter From KPA to John Sweeney of the AFL-CIO
Kitty Hawk Pilots Association
P.O. Box 610347
DFW Airport, TX 75261-0347
June 2, 2000
President John J. Sweeney
AFL-CIO
815 Sixteenth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008
Dear President Sweeney:
On behalf of the pilots of Kitty Hawk Air Cargo, I am writing to express our collective outrage stemming from our inability to secure a collective bargaining agent. The May 26, 2000, National Mediation Board election is an overwhelming indication that we wish to be represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International, not the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT). Approximately 90 percent of the Kitty Hawk pilots - or 304 out of 341 eligible voters - wrote in ALPA as our union of Choice. Only one lone pilot voted for representation by the IBT. We believe that the results of this election, held under the auspices of the NMB, speak powerfully on which union should represent us. Our ability to protect our pilot careers and enjoy the benefits of professional representation should not have been denied because of the AFL-CIO Article XXI ruling issued on May 8, 2000.
We, the pilots of Kitty Hawk Air Cargo, firmly hold that the IBT's allegation that ALPA violated Article XXI is absolutely unfounded and unjust. ALPA has never assisted the Kitty Hawk Pilots Association - financially, legally or otherwise - in our drive to write in ALPA as our collective bargaining agent. ALPA has made no overtures to organize our pilots: In fact, the association deflected attempts by our pilots to seek its representation. Unfortunately, AFL-CIO Impartial Umpire Douglas Fraser issued a summary decision in favor of the IBT and a supplemental decision, stating that “organizing competition” between ALPA and the IBT did exist at the Kitty Hawk property, and, incredibly, that “the Teamsters' campaign has a reasonable chance of succeeding.” We strongly disagree with Umpire Fraser's decision and especially with his assessment that the Teamster representation would have been welcomed by the pilots.
In order to comply with Umpire Fraser's decision, ALPA has been forced to decline representation of the Kitty Hawk pilots at this time, and we have been deprived of any collective bargaining representation. I want to assure you that this letter is not an attack on the IBT; it is instead an attempt by the pilots of Kitty Hawk to gain representation by the union that best meets our pilot needs. ALPA is that union.
Mr. Sweeney, we find it to be absolutely ironic that during this month of the annual AFL-CIO's “Seven Days in June” organizing campaign, the pilots of Kitty Hawk Air Cargo are not allowed to decide which union - both affiliates, or brothers and sisters, under the AFL-CIO umbrella - we choose to represent our needs. In fact, we have been stripped of our basic right to union representation by the IBT's charges, which we believe are without merit, the IBT has taken away our precious freedom of choice - a freedom I know all organized labor supports.
I implore you to heed the Kitty Hawk Air Cargo pilots' plea and allow our collective voice to be heard.
Fraternally,
Robert H. Mearns Jr., President
Kitty Hawk Pilots Association
Dale E. Roberts, Vice President
Kitty Hawk Pilots Association
cc: James P. Hoffa, President, IBT
Richard Trumka, Secretary-Treasurer, AFL-CIO
Captain Duane Woerth, President, ALPA