The NLRB has ruled that the Air Line Pilots Association violated the National Labor Relations Act with respect to Unit 1, the union that represents the professional employees who work for the pilot’s union. Don McClure, Unit 1 president, exclaimed, “This ruling confirms what Unit 1 has been saying for the last two years, that ALPA acted unlawfully and has repeatedly ignored the law and the rights of its own employees.” In May 2009, management at ALPA unilaterally imposed changed pay, fringe benefits and work rules on the Unit 1 staff after contract negotiations failed to produce an agreement. Unit 1 filed ULPs against ALPA, and estimates that it will cost ALPA well in excess of $2 million to rescind the unilaterally imposed contract terms. Said McClure, “For the world’s largest pilots’ union to flaunt the law in such an egregious manner is reprehensible. The law judge agreed with us.”
