Union is in third year of talks for a new contract

Pilots at Spirit Airlines last week said they plan to ask the National Mediation Board to release them from contract negotiations, a move which could lead to a strike. The union said the pilots are currently in their third year of negotiations for a new contract, with little or no progress. They accused Spirit Airlines management of displaying “contempt for the pilots’ existing contract and refusal to negotiate a new one.” The pilots said Spirit has been “blatantly violating a number of crucial work rules in the current contract,” and “claiming it had the universal right to do so whenever it wanted to save money.” For example, the union said management has threatened to eliminate or disregard the existing rule about how much time off a pilot gets after a trip.