Release #07.TSA2
October 24, 2007

ALPA Pledges $2 Million to Trans States Airlines Pilots to Fund Efforts to Secure a Fair Labor Contract

WASHINGTON – Trans States Airlines (TSA) pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), were granted access to $2 million from the union’s Major Contingency Fund (MCF) as contract negotiations with management approach the two-year mark.

The allocation provides the TSA pilots with the needed resources to fully prepare themselves and their families for a strike in the event that a fair agreement cannot be reached at the bargaining table.

“We’ve spent the past two years, and a lot of money, vigorously and successfully defending grievances for several wrongfully terminated pilots,” said Capt. Jason Ruszin, chairman of the TSA unit of ALPA, “so this money will go a long way in educating and informing our pilots on how to prepare for what can happen down the road. Trans States is a successful, financially secure airline because of pilot sacrifice, so we are not going to accept any management proposal that would continue to make us the lowest paid pilots in the industry.”

Trans States pilots began direct contract negotiations in February 2006 and entered mediated negotiations in December 2006, yet the two sides have only tentatively agreed to language in 12 of the 30 contract sections.

In 2005, management wrongfully terminated five union leaders in an effort to undermine the union’s effectiveness in representing the TSA pilots. All terminations have been successfully grieved.

With headquarters in St. Louis, Mo., Trans States Airlines is the fifth largest independent (privately held) regional airline in the U.S., and flies regional jet service to 46 cities under the US Airways Express, United Express and American Connection banners.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilot union representing more than 60,000 cockpit crewmembers at 41 airlines in the U.S. and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org.

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ALPA Contact: Jason Ruszin, 610-805-5387
Kimberly Seitz, 703-481-4463