FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Capt. Dennis Tajer, 847-902-8481/Gregg Overman, 817-312-3901

Allied Pilots Association Urges Negotiated Settlement in Rail Strike

FORT WORTH, Texas (May 16, 2026) — The Allied Pilots Association (APA), certified collective bargaining agent for the 17,000 pilots of American Airlines, expressed its support for the striking Long Island Rail Road workers and urged the parties to reach a negotiated settlement.

“APA stands in solidarity with our brother and sister union members,” said APA President First Officer Nick Silva. “We support the efforts of the striking Long Island Rail Road workers to secure appropriate contractual improvements for themselves and their families, and we urge the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to negotiate in good faith to bring about a timely settlement to the dispute."

President Silva noted that the strike is taking place in accordance with the provisions of the Railway Labor Act, which governs railroad and airline labor negotiations.

“Two Presidential Emergency Boards have been convened during this dispute, and both have sided with the workers, recommending retroactive pay and raises and rejecting the sweeping contractual changes the MTA sought,” he said. “As the busiest commuter railroad in North America, the Long Island Rail Road is an essential part of daily life for the New York area. It is in the best interests of the workers whose livelihoods are tied to the railroad and the hundreds of thousands of passengers who rely on it every day for this strike to reach a swift conclusion.” 

Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association – the largest independent pilots union in the United States – is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. APA’s membership includes several hundred pilots on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces. The union’s website is AlliedPilots.org.