Release #: 17.18
April 26, 2017
ALPA Applauds Congressional Support for Effort to Save U.S. Airline Jobs, Stop Anti-U.S. Worker Schemes
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) today announced its strong support of the Flags of Convenience Don't Fly Here Act (H.R. 2150), legislation to save American airline jobs, stop global offshoring schemes, and ensure a level playing field for U.S. aviation workers. H.R. 2150 was introduced by Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.), Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), and Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) in the U.S. House of Representatives today as a bipartisan commitment to ensuring aviation jobs stay in America.
“Given President Trump’s stand on U.S. jobs and his pledge to put ‘America First,’ we urge Congress to enact this measure and send it to the president for his signature,” said Capt. Tim Canoll, ALPA president. “This bill is critical to keeping America’s economy growing, and our jobs here in the United States.”
International operations at U.S. airlines contribute more than $95 billion per year to our economy and directly employ more than 151,000 workers. As the world’s largest airline pilots union, ALPA will not stand idly by as flag-of-convenience business models decimate the U.S. aviation industry. A flag-of-convenience airline is a carrier that is established in a country other than the home country of its majority owner(s) in order to avoid regulations of the home country. Flags of convenience are often used to decrease labor costs.
“Flag-of-convenience schemes threaten our aviation industry, which fuels the U.S. economy, transports passengers and cargo from towns large and small throughout America to destinations worldwide, and provides thousands of U.S. jobs for airline employees,” said Canoll. “This bill will ensure that foreign carriers are held to the same standards of competition as our domestic carriers, leveling the playing field.”
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents over 55,000 pilots at 32 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WeAreALPA.
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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org