The Air Line Pilots Association, International is the largest pilot union in the world, representing more than 63,000 pilots from 35 U.S. and Canadian airlines. ALPA was founded on 27 July 1931 and is a member of the AFL-CIO and the Canadian Labour Congress. Known internationally as U.S.-ALPA, ALPA is also a member of the IFALPA.
Current leadership
ALPA's four national officers were elected by the union's Board of Directors on Oct. 17, 2018, and began their four-year terms on Jan. 1, 2019.
Captain Bob Fox, United Airlines, serves as ALPA's first vice president. He has served his pilot group as Master Executive Council vice chairman and Alliance and Scope Oversight Committee member, as well as a Local Executive Council chairman and secretary-treasurer.
Vice President–Administration/Secretary: Captain Bill Couette
Captain William Russell “Bill” Couette, Envoy Air, is serving his fourth consecutive term as ALPA's vice president–administration/secretary. Captain Couette is a five-time elected local council representative who served until the end of 2006 as the American Eagle Local Executive Council 133 chairman in Chicago. He acted as Strike Oversight Board representative for the Atlantic Southeast and Skyway pilots, and also served as an ALPA negotiator, organizer, and merger representative.
Vice President–Finance/Treasurer: Captain Joseph A. Genovese Jr.
Captain Joseph A. Genovese Jr., United, serves as ALPA's vice president–finance/treasurer, having previously served on numerous ALPA committees and held ALPA leadership roles for his pilot group, including Master Executive Council executive administrator, MEC secretary-treasurer, and member of the MEC Grievance Committee. He also served as a Local Executive Council chairman and secretary-treasurer.
Archives
The Walter P. Reuther Library is home to over 40 collections of archival material documenting the history of the Air Line Pilots Association. To access the collections' finding aids, please refer to the ALPA-related content at the Walter P. Reuther Library's
Former Presidents
The following is a complete list of ALPA's former presidents since the Association's founding in 1931:
While ALPA has claimed to support testing for drugs and alcohol of pilots who survive accidents, the conduct of ALPA representatives, following the fatal takeoff crash of USAir Flight 5050 on September 20, 1989, was contrary to that stated policy. ALPA reps sequestered both surviving pilots and refused to reveal their whereabouts until such time that any testing for drugs and alcohol would be useless. After the FAA prepared subpoenas to compel them to appear, the pilots finally relented and appeared some 44 hours after the accident. Upon the advice of their ALPA attorney, the pilots refused to provide any blood samples, but did give urine samples. Valid samples, taken shortly after that accident were very important to the investigation, especially since the NTSB found numerous "crew coordination problems" during its investigation. But, the conduct of ALPA representatives, acting contrary to ALPA's stated safety policies, prevented a thorough and complete investigation. This made the NTSB investigators so upset that a very unusual and strong statement was included in the official accident report: At a press briefing, James L. Kolstad, the acting chairman of the NTSB, stated "there clearly was a lack of proper procedure being followed in the cockpit" of USAir Flight 5050. Kolstad also said "it clearly took too long" for the pilots to present themselves for drug and alcohol testing. "The public has a right to know that its transportation system is alcohol- and drug-free", Kolstad said. "Failure to promptly volunteer for alcohol and drug testing following a major accident is inexcusable. The provision of urine samples, and no blood samples, almost two days after this accident severely impedes our investigation and unnecessarily creates an environment of suspicion."
