Allied Pilots Association Supports Proposed Union Election Rule Change

"The current election procedures are inherently undemocratic."
FORT WORTH, Texas--(Business Wire)--
The Allied Pilots Association (APA), certified collective bargaining agent for
the 11,500 pilots of American Airlines (NYSE:AMR), issued the following
statement regarding the National Mediation Board`s proposed union election rule
change, which would require that unions win a majority of votes only from those
workers who cast ballots, rather than from a majority of all those eligible to
vote. According to an interpretation of the Railway Labor Act of 1934, aviation
and rail workers who don`t vote on whether to create a union are counted as "no"
votes.

"Thousands of airline and railway workers who cast ballots in favor of
representation were prevented from forming a union ─ and therefore, from
protecting their rights as employees ─ because of this archaic rule, which
undermines the principle of free choice," said APA President Captain Lloyd Hill.
"Workers must have a choice to vote for union representation, and right now,
that`s not the case with the `veto by silence` principle. Simply put, a majority
of those voting should decide the outcome of any election.

"The current election procedures are inherently undemocratic, and actually
encourage union-busting voter-suppression campaigns. This change is long
overdue," Captain Hill added.

That is the full text of APA`s statement.

The NMB rule change would bring the election procedures for aviation and rail
workers in line with the current procedures used for workers covered under the
National Labor Relations Act and other U.S. labor laws, whereby a union can be
created as long as a majority of all votes cast are in favor of collective
bargaining.

The NMB will be taking public comments until Jan. 4, 2010 on its proposed rule
change.

Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association-the largest independent pilot
union in the U.S.-is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. APA represents the
11,500 pilots of American Airlines, including 1,888 pilots on furlough. The
furloughs began shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Also, several
hundred American Airlines pilots are on full-time military leave of absence
serving in the armed forces. The union`s Web site address is
www.alliedpilots.org. American Airlines is the nation`s second-largest passenger
carrier and fifth-largest cargo carrier.

Allied Pilots Association
Captain Sam Mayer, 817-302-2350/203-731-1112
or
Gregg Overman, 817-302-2250/817-312-3901

Copyright Business Wire 2009