Labor Organizations Form Aviation Labor Alliance

Three transportation organizations have announced the formation of a large aviation labor alliance to combine and coordinate lobbying efforts on airline safety and security. The American Aviation Labor Alliance (AALA) is a formal partnership of the Transport Workers Union (TWU), the Coalition of Airline Pilots Association (CAPA) and International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The IBT represents more than 1.4 million members in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, including Continental ramp workers and United Airlines mechanics. “We are leading the fight that workers care about in the airline industry,” said Teamsters general president Jim Hoffa. “As the American Aviation Labor Alliance, we will speak on the most pressing aviation issues facing our membership and the public with one strong voice.” According to Hoffa, AALA is focusing attention on passing the FAA reauthorization bill in Congress during the current session. The alliance is significant because the unions are either affiliated with different labor federations or are independent. Together they can potentially yield significant influence over labor issues that affect their members and the airline industry as a whole.