Union to ask Spirit Airlines pilots whether they want to strike

The Air Line Pilot Association International Monday announced that 1,600 unionised Spirit Airlines pilots will be asked to vote on a measure that would initiate a legal strike. The union and the airline have been clashing over wage negotiations for more than 2 years. "We are looking for an industry-standard contract that brings our compensation in line with our fellow pilots — that remains our main goal," said the chairman of Spirit ALPA. "However, we are willing to take any lawful steps necessary, including a legal strike, to achieve the contract every Spirit pilot has earned." The union, which represents pilots from Spirit and more than 30 other airlines in the US and Canada, says voting opens Aug 21 and closes Sept 8. ALPA argues that compensation for its Spirit pilots lags behind other airline pilots on similar routes and aircraft by as much as 40%. <br/>