Allied Pilots Association

The Allied Pilots Association (APA) is the labor union representing American Airlines pilots. APA was founded in 1963 by a group of American Airlines pilots who broke away from the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). The five founding pilots of APA, Nick O'Connell, Paul Atkins, Bob Guba, Joe Garvey, and Dick Lyons, were expelled for life from ALPA. The first headquarters was located in New York City before it moved to Fort Worth, Texas.
Representation services.
APA provides all of the traditional union representation services for its members. This includes the lobbying of airline pilots' views to the U.S. Congress and government agencies. In addition, it devotes more than 20% of its dues income to support aviation safety.
Organization.
Organizationally, APA is led by three National Officers, president, vice president, and secretary-treasurer, elected by the membership at large to serve three-year terms, working out of the association’s headquarters office. The Board of Directors consist of a chairman and vice chairman of the airline's ten domiciles, serves as the policy-making body for the association. The board meets at least three times each year, with the fall meeting constituting the annual meeting. The association has numerous active committees made up of pilot volunteers that focus on key facets of a pilot’s working life. These committees include Aeromedical, Appeal Board, Benefits Review, Captain’s Authority, Communications, Contract Compliance, Family Awareness, Financial Audit, Hotel, Information Technology, International Alliance, Jumpseat Non-Rev, Legislative Affairs, Membership, Negotiating, Pension, Pilot Mutual Aid, Political Action, Professional Standards, Safety & Training, Scholarship fund, Scope, Strike Preparedness, and Technical Analysis & Scheduling.
An 85-member professional staff works in the headquarters offices providing a wide range of services, including legal representation, contract administration, accounting, public relations, benefits administration and clerical support.
History.
In 2001, on its pilots' behalf, APA filed a lawsuit against American Airlines. The airline attempted to circumvent scope clause that placed limits on regional flying. It did so by altering the AmericanConnection IATA code to "AX" for flights operated by Chautauqua and Trans States. The issue was settled in 2007 when a federal arbitrator ordered American to pay $23 million to APA members for violating the scope clause.
The merger of American and US Airways resulted in the carriers' pilot labor organizations to be combined. In 2014, USAPA merged into the much larger APA. At the time, USAPA had been under a permanent federal injunction but asked the judge to have the injunction lifted, as the merger brought an industry standard contract. The protagonist organization that opposed USAPA, known as America West Airlines Pilots Protective Alliance (AWAPPA), was dissolved.
Membership and representation.
APA membership is voluntary; however, American Airlines is an agency shop. Employees represented by the union pay 1% of their salary per month via payroll deduction.