If an agreement is not reached soon in its dispute with Frontier Airlines, the pilots’ union plans to strike.  The dispute is regarding a pay raise and so far, mediation has not been successful and has only moved the pilots closer to the strike.  The National Mediation Board received a letter from the Air Line Pilots Association International stating that mediation had not yet been successful and the group was taking steps forward toward striking.

The mediation board was asked by the pilots’ union to extend an offer for binding arbitration, which is a required step in the process, but according to the pilots, it is unlikely the union will accept any decision made that is supposedly binding.

If either side declines the request, negotiations move into a 30 day cooling period.  After that, Frontier could opt to lock out the pilots or the pilots could opt to strike.  Either of these actions would be illegal if implemented prior to the 30 day period, but mediation can continue throughout the 30 day period.

If a strike were to occur, it would temporarily halt Frontier flights.

According to the pilots’ union, the two sides are still far from an agreement.  The group claims it is the lowest paid of all pilots in the industry.  They claim to be earning just 60 percent of what pilots make flying for other airlines in North America.  They are demanding higher wages, which is the crux of the dispute.  The pilots have also accused Frontier of not being consistent with good faith bargaining during mediation and claims the company has no desire to reach an agreement with reasonable terms.