Pilots with the Air Transport Services Group (ATSG)-owned Air Transport International (ATI) have called on the company to offer them a "next level contract" after last week reporting a record profit in 2022, with earnings per share up 42%.
"It is imperative that we secure a new contract that reflects the contributions pilots make to the success of our company each day,” said pilot Mike Sterling, the head of the ATI group at the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).
Contract talks have stalled "over key sections including compensation and retirement," since kicking off in mid-2020, the pilots said.
“ATI pilots have earned the position as the largest Amazon carrier in the world by delivering superior reliability and service, often despite the lack of support by the company. Through our efforts and professionalism, ATI and ATSG continue to record revenue and growth," said Sterling, who said the contract talks breakdown led to 126 pilots leaving ATI/ATSG in 2022.
“It’s not surprising that ATI is having trouble attracting and retaining pilots. Poor crew planning, poor treatment of pilots, poor working conditions, an outdated contract, and an inability to support flight operations due to overworked and underpaid ATI staff across the board have all contributed to a significant number of pilots leaving. The Company has been unable to resolve the deteriorating conditions because they continually fail to recognize that a next level contract is the only solution. ALPA remains committed to achieving a contract that will attract and retain pilots and restore our ability to provide superior service to ATI’s customers,” added Sterling.