Press Releases
Teamster Pilots at Republic Airways Approve New Three-Year Contract
(INDIANAPOLIS) – The International Brotherhood of Teamsters Airline Division and Republic Airways Holdings Inc.(NASDAQ: RJET) announced today that pilots represented by Teamsters Local 357 voted to ratify a new three-year agreement.
Results of the vote, which were tabulated today, were 1,363 votes in favor of the agreement to 421 votes against, with 1,784, or 90 percent of eligible pilots, participating in the vote.
Teamsters Local 357 represents more than 2,100 pilots for Republic’s subsidiaries, Republic Airlines and Shuttle America.
The new contract contains improvements in both pay and work rules, and includes significant bonuses upon ratification and on the one-year anniversary of the ratification.
“After several years of negotiations and mediation, we are glad Republic pilots have a contract that reflects their significant contributions to the company and the airline industry,” said Capt. David Bourne, Teamsters Airline Division Director. “We will continue to work toward the best future possible for our members at Republic and throughout the airline industry.”
“We are pleased our pilots have agreed to a contract that will reward our pilots with industry-leading compensation and an improved quality of life,” said Matt Koscal, Republic Vice President of Human Resources. ”We still have many challenges to overcome to achieve a consensual restructuring of our airline, but today’s positive outcome helps us move forward in full alignment with our pilots.”
The current collective bargaining agreement was ratified in 2003 and became amendable in October of 2007. Pilots are covered by the Railway Labor Act, so the contract does not expire.
Republic Airways Holdings, Inc., based in Indianapolis, is an airline holding company that owns Republic Airlines and Shuttle America, collectively called “the airlines.” The airlines operate a combined fleet of about 240 aircraft and offer scheduled passenger service with more than 1,250 flights daily to approximately 100 cities in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean through fixed-fee flights operated under the major airline partner brands of American Eagle, Delta Connection and United Express. The airlines currently employ about 6,500 aviation professionals. For more about Republic Airways, visit www.rjet.com.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, including more than 80,000 workers in every craft and class of the airline industry. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.