Negotiations for Early Openers

As the Chair of ORD, it is my responsibility to leverage my experience and historical knowledge to ensure we secure an industry-leading contract. This means providing our negotiating team with clear direction and the tools they need to succeed. Many may ask what "industry-leading" means to me, so let me clarify. It’s not just about securing the highest pay rates; an industry-leading contract goes beyond that. We should be negotiating strategically, using pattern bargaining with our peers and drawing from our historical insights to achieve the contract we deserve. While our hourly wages have been set at a strong level, our focus should now shift to areas such as pilot work-life balance, trip trading, schedule flexibility, trip ownership, and job security. Additionally, we need to prioritize securing language that guarantees two AA pilots in the cockpit, with support from government affairs. As technology advances, the threat of single-pilot operations becomes more real. We’ve made significant progress with the 2023 CBA, but there’s still more work to be done. I am committed to using my experience and historical knowledge to strategically position us for success in the upcoming early openers, just 18 months away.