Evergreen International Airlines is facing a possible strike if negotiations fail

Evergreen International Airlines (Marana) is facing a possible strike by its pilots. The Master Executive Council (MEC) has announced that they are conducting a strike ballot of the membership to be prepared for all possible contingencies should negotiations fail.

EIA crewmembers, who are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), have been negotiating with the company for a new contract for over six years.

Evergreen crewmembers previously turned down a tentative agreement in August. The failed agreement was largely a renewal of the current collective bargaining agreement, which has been in place since 1999. The strike ballot will open on December 1 and close January 7. If it passes, it would authorize the EIA MEC to declare a strike once the pilot group is given permission to do so by the National Mediation Board (NMB).

ALPA can request a proffer of arbitration from the NMB at any time. If the NMB issues a proffer, either party can reject arbitration. In that event, a 30-day cooling-off period would commence, after which crewmembers could legally engage in the first-ever pilot strike at Evergreen.

Copyright Photo: Roy Lock. Please click on the photo for more information on the company.