United Airlines pilots’ union says it has reached an agreement with the company on provisions for a collective bargaining agreement.
The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) said it has struck a ‘in principle’ agreement on ‘extensive new conditions’ for a collective bargaining deal with the US legacy carrier.
The union further adds in a statement issued on May 13, 2022, that the specifics of the new negotiating agreement must still be approved by its organs before being released to all United Airlines pilots.
In North America, there is a rising pilot shortage. According to Oliver Wyman, an American consulting firm, airlines in this region would be among the first to experience this challenge and among the hardest hit by it.
“In North America, with an aging pilot population and heavy use of early retirements, the shortage reemerges quickly and is projected to reach over 12,000 pilots by 2023—13 percent of total demand,” the study indicates.
Similarly, in its 2021-2040 Pilot and Technical outlook, Boeing estimates that 30,000 pilots will be needed in North America over the next 20 years.
However, the competition for qualified pilots will be ‘strong’: “With the dual impact of a smaller qualified pilot pool and accelerated retirements, it is expected that regional pilot shortages and strong competition for qualified pilots will re-emerge within the next few years,” Boeing predicted.
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