Horizon Air Pilots Hold Informational Picketing
Nearly 650 Horizon Air pilots, represented by Teamsters Local 1224, held informational pickets in Seattle and Boise, demanding a fair contract with industry-standard compensation.
Seattle, WA – Approximately 650 pilots at Horizon Air, represented by Teamsters Local 1224, conducted informational pickets in Seattle and Boise. The pilots are calling on the airline to cease what they describe as years of delay tactics and negotiate a contract that meets industry-standard compensation.
The pilots have been in negotiations for nearly four years, seeking an agreement that addresses wages, staffing and training shortages, and operational concerns. Horizon Air pilots perform a similar volume of flying to their counterparts at Alaska Airlines, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group, yet their pay lags behind due to stalled contract talks.
"Our pilots are the backbone of Horizon's operation," stated Henry Simkins, Chair of Local 1224's Horizon Executive Council. "They continue to deliver safe and reliable service every day while management drags its feet on a contract that reflects their contribution and value. The same mismanagement has created operational challenges throughout the airline."
In addition to the picketing, pilots plan to hold a vote of no confidence in Carlos Zendejas, Senior Vice President of Operations at Horizon. They cite ongoing issues such as chronic staffing shortages, inconsistent policy application, and an increasing reliance on pilots to compensate for operational shortcomings as reasons for the vote.