Former President Shares 9/11 Memories at Executive Board Meeting

This week at ALPA headquarters in McLean, Virginia, the union’s Executive Board convened for its 139th regular meeting to act on policy amendments and review national committee updates. Also on the Order of Business were special guest presentations by former ALPA president Capt. Duane Woerth, National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) President Nick Daniels, and ALPA General Manager David Krieger.

ALPA President Highlights Priorities and Progress

During his morning report to the Executive Board, ALPA president Capt. Jason Ambrosi discussed ALPA’s current safety priorities, including the need to promote the installation of integrated ADS-B In on all commercial aircraft. He also highlighted the progress that the union is making on the collective bargaining front.

“In the four years since this administration took office, we have negotiated new contracts or contract extensions at 27 airlines,” he remarked. “Each contract builds on the successes and the lessons of past negotiations.” Throughout his presentation, Ambrosi repeated a personal refrain he employs to ensure a successful outcome for the Association’s initiatives: “Solidarity over division, strategy over reaction.”

Safety Update

In her report to the Executive Board, ALPA first vice president and national safety coordinator Capt. Wendy Morse discussed ALPA’s recent involvement in several accident investigations, including one involving Jazz Aviation Flight 8646, which hit a Port Authority fire truck at New York’s LaGuardia Airport last March. Another investigation involves a United B-767 that struck a light pole on the New Jersey Turnpike last May while on final approach to Newark Liberty International Airport.

“As always, our role is not to speculate but to establish the facts, understand what happened, and apply what we learn to prevent future accidents and incidents,” she said.

ALPA Chat: Using AI Responsibly

Vice president–administration/secretary F/O Tyler Hawkins updated the Executive Board about some of the tools ALPA is implementing to improve member productivity and efficiency. He referenced the use of ALPA Chat, an in-house closed-source application that works in conjunction with popular AI platforms, which some pilot groups are using to quickly respond to member contract and scheduling questions.

He asserted, “We think AI is a great tool for certain tasks, but it must be applied responsibly and used to strengthen our credibility as an organization, not diminish it.”

Hawkins also discussed a resolution before the Executive Board to shorten balloting timelines for local council elections.

Union Finances and Dues Rate Proposal

“Our focus has been to bring ALPA forward into the twenty-first century, updating our policies and practices where they don’t make sense and turning good practices into policy,” commented vice president–finance/treasurer Capt. Wes Clapper.

Among the improvements he outlined was a proposed dues rate reduction, which the Board of Directors will deliberate on during its meeting next month.

“This effort is on the heels of now three straight years where we have offered a return of dues to our members,” he said. “This year’s return took place in mid- to late-August and has been completed for the large majority of our members.”

Activities in Canada

Later during the plenary session, ALPA Canada Board president Capt. Tim Perry provided an overview of the Association’s recent activities and accomplishments above the 49th parallel.

Regarding government advocacy, he remarked, “I am pleased to note that at this point we have successfully held back the threat to Canadian fatigue rules against efforts to weaken them through global or company-specific exemption requests.”

ALPA Canada played a central role in securing these regulations when they were reformed in 2020 and 2022 and continues to fight against proposals to dilute them.

Former President Reflects on 25 Years Since 9/11

Members of the Executive Board heard a special presentation from former ALPA president and U.S. representative to the International Civil Aviation Organization Capt. Duane Woerth, titled “25 Years Later: A Conversation about 9/11.” Woerth served as president during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and talked about his experiences and feelings that day and his subsequent role as a member of former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta’s Rapid Response Team on Aircraft Security.

Air Traffic Controllers Face Challenges

The Executive Board received a briefing from Nick Daniels, NATCA president, who spoke about the challenges many controllers continue to face despite the $12.5 billion investment the federal government authorized to build a brand-new air traffic control system from the ground up. An additional $30 billion is still needed to complete the project.

Daniels also talked about a much-needed peer support program the union is standing up at the end of the year and the importance of the strong working relationship that NATCA and ALPA have established.

General Manager Briefing

ALPA General Manager David Krieger briefed the Executive Board members on the results of a member poll conducted this summer by the University of New Hampshire.