Pilots of Allegiant Air, represented by Teamsters Local 2118, have formally requested that the National Mediation Board (NMB) release them from the current mediation process with the airline.
Should this request be approved, the NMB may propose binding arbitration to address the outstanding issues between Allegiant and its Teamsters pilots. If either side opts out of arbitration, a 30-day “cooling-off” period will commence, after which the pilots would be legally permitted to strike. In November of last year, Allegiant pilots overwhelmingly voted—by 97 percent—to authorize a strike, reflecting significant dissatisfaction with the company’s ongoing delays and its unwillingness to tackle essential issues.
“Since we began negotiations, our goal has been simple: secure a contract that ensures long-term success and security for both our pilots and Allegiant Air,” said Captain Josh Allen, Local 2118’s Negotiating Committee Chair. “And every step of the way, Allegiant has refused to offer us that.”
Despite over two years of mediated discussions, the parties have not yet reached an agreement on critical scheduling matters within the collective bargaining framework. Allegiant’s most recent proposals would classify approximately 20 percent of pilots as surplus and compel the remaining pilots to adhere to maximum flight schedules, raising serious concerns regarding pilot fatigue, operational reliability, and overall quality of life.
“It’s impossible to make progress when the company keeps moving the goalposts and demanding more ‘efficiencies’ from an already-stretched pilot group,” said Greg Unterseher, Trustee of Local 2118. “Each time our pilots rise to meet the company’s needs with good-faith proposals, Allegiant shifts direction again. Enough is enough — it’s time for Allegiant to finally deliver the fair contract its pilots have earned.”
