US Airline Pilots Association US Airline Pilots Association The US Airline Pilots Association (USAPA) was the collective bargaining agent for the majority former US Airways "East" pilots, and the minority former America West Airlines "West" regional pilots. USAPA was led by East pilot Mike Cleary. USAPA was formed by East pilots for the exclusive and purpose of attempting to overturn the results of the previous pilot seniority integration arbitration. During the fair representation trial, USAPA used as courtroom witnesses East pilots Sully Sullenberger and Jeffrey Skiles of the infamous Hudson River flight 1549. Both witnesses testified in support of USAPA. There has been much
US Airways own in-house union. "East" pilots were dissatisfied with the results of binding arbitration when the arbitrator's ruling placed all active former America West pilots, including their most junior pilot, who had been hired only three months previous to the merger, ahead of furloughed US Airways pilots with up to seventeen years of service. The former US Airways pilots petitioned the National Mediation Board to conduct a vote to determine whether to replace their union. East pilots (3,200) outnumbered west pilots (1,800) and the proposed union's president stated that the union had a sufficient number of requests to call a vote