IFALPA Negotiations Seminar Amsterdam 2023

Course Description & Objectives

The course is designed as an introduction and guide to Industrial Negotiation in the airline industry from a pilot's perspective. It is suitable for both newly-elected representatives with little negotiating experience, as well as more experienced representatives that wish to further develop their skills.

It is an intensive course and attendees should also expect to work in the evenings. The first two days are for instruction and on the third day the participants will be put into teams, either representing the management or the union, and will conduct a real time simulated negotiation with a strike deadline against another opposing team.

The simulation is based on extensive briefing material on the history of the company and background to the dispute, different confidential instructions are also given to both the management and union sides, which have just enough overlap to make an agreement possible. The simulation will be observed by one of the instructors who will give a critique at the conclusion of the exercise.

Many of the current leaders of Member Associations are past participants of the course, which has been running for close to twenty years, and it enjoys an excellent reputation with very positive feedback.

Course Outline

The course covers:

• Negotiations Overview
• The Role of Union Leadership
• Strategic Planning
• The role of economic and financial analysis in negotiations
• Consensus Decision Making
• Negotiations Administration
• Union leadership in negotiations
• Industrial action and IFALPA Mutual Assistance
• A financial overview of the industry

Ana McAhron-Schulz

Ms. Ana McAhron-Schulz is the former Director of the Economic and Financial Analysis Department (E&FA) for the Air Line Pilots Association, International. She was responsible for all economic and financial analyses in support of ALPA’s efforts in collective bargaining, strategic planning, litigation, public relations and legislative activities, including: evaluation of corporate financial results and business plans; development of bargaining strategies and contract proposals on economic issues; economic modeling and forecasting, including the valuation of contract proposals; advice on financial matters to union members on corporate boards of directors; and industry and labor research and analysis.

Ms. McAhron-Schulz served as a primary financial advisor for ALPA carriers regarding contract negotiations, restructuring transactions, corporate buyouts and airline bankruptcies. Ms. McAhron-Schulz has also provided expert testimony at various arbitrations and bankruptcy court hearings on behalf of the Association and its members. She and her department also provided significant support on regional and international code sharing issues to member airlines, as well as on other issues related to airline globalization.

Over the course of her career and through ALPA’s former subsidiary, the International Pilot Services Corporation, Ms. McAhron-Schulz has also served as financial advisor to the pilots of Aer Lingus, KLM, Air France, Cathay Pacific, TAP Air Portugal, SAS, South African Airways, Spanair and Sabena, among others. She is an industrial advisor to the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations (IFALPA) and participates at various training seminars and conferences for IFALPA. She was awarded a Presidential Citation from IFALPA for her extensive work and counsel in the field of industrial relations. In February, 2013, Ms. McAhron-Schulz represented IFALPA at the International Labor Organization’s Global Dialogue Forum on Aviation.

In 2010, the US Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, appointed Ms. McAhron-Schulz to serve on the Future of Aviation Advisory Committee which was tasked to to provide information, advice and recommendations to the DOT to ensure the competitiveness of the U.S. aviation industry and its capability to address the evolving transportation needs, challenges, and opportunities of the U.S. and global economies.

Ms. McAhron-Schulz has a B.A. in International Studies and Economics and an M.B.A. from The American University in Washington, D.C. She has worked for ALPA for 32 years.

Andrew Shostack

Andrew joined the Air Line Pilots Association in 1996 as an attorney in the Representation Department where he served as the senior contract administrator in the Association’s Phoenix, Arizona, office. As a senior contract administrator Andrew served as the staff negotiator and assisted with negotiations and writing contract language. Andrew represented pilots involved in various disputes, counseled pilots on contractual, operational, medical, and insurance issues, and worked closely with the pilot group's elected leaders.

In 2006, Andrew was promoted to supervisor in the Representation Department, and in 2015 was promoted to Assistant Director. As an Assistant Director, Andrew helped oversee and coordinate the Representation Department’s work in negotiations, which includes bargaining pilot agreements, assisting negotiating committees and pilot leaders in strategizing for and managing negotiations, interacting with government mediators, and lecturing at ALPA and IFALPA negotiation seminars. Andrew also assists with administering the department’s contract enforcement efforts, organizing initiatives and FAA enforcement and medical case handling. Andrew works out of the Association’s Herndon, Virginia and Washington, DC offices.

Andrew received his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Arizona. He is a cum laude graduate with his Juris Doctorate from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School, where he was an associate editor of the Law Review. He graduated with distinction from the Georgetown University Law Center’s Master’s in Law program, concentrating on labor and employment law.

Brian Shury

Captain Brian Shury has been flying professionally since 1982. He has flown over forty different types and is an Air Canada Jazz Captain, operating out of Toronto. Brian was elected Executive Vice President, Professional and Government Affairs for IFALPA in April 2019 and served in this role until October of 2020. He is currently the Director of Professional and Government Affairs for IFALPA

Captain Shury regards his education in labour relations as an ongoing, life-long endeavor. Born into an activist union family, Captain Shury was immersed in labour relations, experiencing his first strike action at five years old. He obtained a BA in Political Science and International Relations from Western University in 1987. Within his 30-year airline career, Brian has been involved in innumerable labour events including strikes and labour litigation including Common Employer cases, class action lawsuits, unfair labour practice cases, and many mediations and arbitrations.

Brian has held several committee and political positions within CALPA and ALPA-I over the last three decades, beginning with Grievance Chairman for Air Ontario in 1991. He subsequently held many positions within the Air Ontario MEC, the Jazz MEC, ALPA Canada and IFALPA.

Brian participated in or led negotiations in various environments including mergers, bankruptcies/restructuring, post-bankruptcy, Union collapse, and complex CPA/Mainline bargaining with multiple players. He is most proud of the bargaining accomplishments, many unprecedented, that have been achieved by his Air Ontario, Air Canada Regional, and Jazz colleagues over the years.

Brian believes that these bargaining successes were achieved by extraordinary unity and focus anchored by the mutual respect amongst all pilots involved, regardless of what they fly, who they fly for or what region they fly in. This made possible a status pay system that spanned everything from a 37 seat DHC -8 to the Boeing 757. This pay system translated into significant wage increases for all pilots regardless of the equipment they flew. This solidarity also made possible an industry-leading Collective Agreement. In addition, a very robust safety culture was created as well as a very healthy relationship between management and the union.  

Brian lives on a farm near Peterborough, Ontario, with his wife and their two daughters.

David Stephens

David has served as a Senior Industrial Officer with the Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) since June 2006. His primary role is to assist pilot bodies negotiate collective employment agreements with their employers.

However, pilots occasionally need personal assistance and representation in under/non-payment matters, workplace grievances, or disciplinary matters. David assists individual members achieve the best possible outcome. This includes representing members through direct dialogue with employers and in advocacy before the Australian industrial/employment tribunal.

After graduating from La Trobe University, Melbourne, in 1982 with a degree in Legal Studies, David began training as a Psychiatric Nurse. Between 1987 and 1989 he was a local union representative at the hospital he worked in. This opportunity eventually led to a full-time position as a Union Official.

His first position as an Organiser was in 1989 with the Health and Community Services Union. In 1993 David was promoted to the position of Industrial Officer and then Senior Industrial Officer in 1996. In 1999 he was elected Assistant State Secretary and then Assistant National Secretary in 2001. In addition to his industrial roles and management of the Union, he also held the communications and media portfolios until 2006 when he was appointed to his current position with the AFAP.

With three decades of experience in industrial negotiation and advocacy; having negotiated innumerable agreements in the government, non-government, and private sectors and, specifically since 2006, across all sectors of the aviation industry; David has delivered workplace organising and industrial negotiation skills training to many workplace Union representatives.

He is currently studying Law at Southern Cross University in Australia. However, his most significant and proudest achievement, according to David, is his four adult children, and his grandchildren.

Christian Laulund

Previously an electronic engineer, Christian Laulund started his aviation career in 1989. He has been employed as a pilot by SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) since he started flight school but flew as a Captain for Etihad Airways during a leave of absence from 2005 to 2012. He is currently an A320 Captain at SAS, operating out of Oslo. 

Captain Laulund has served as a board member at NF (Norwegian ALPA), as Chair of NSF (Norwegian SAS-pilots), and as Chair of SPG (SAS Pilot Group) - an umbrella organization for all SAS pilots in Scandinavia.

Christian started his union work at the age of 13 when he organized his first labor actions as a newspaper-delivery boy. Born into a politically active family, he was raised to understand the importance of developing careful listening and diplomatic skills. Captain Laulund has been involved in numerous negotiations and labor mediations including two strikes, the longest lasting a week and entirely shutting down all SAS flights.

In addition to his practical experience, Christian has attended several negotiation courses with focus on negotiation psychology and strategy. He is currently responsible for the National Training Program for union representatives at NF and is a member of the NF Negotiation Team.

Captain Laulund is most proud of his contributions during the establishment of SPG. SAS has four pilot unions in three different countries, and unifying them into a single voice was paramount in conflicts with the Company. Their struggles continue, but in unity, the pilots have a much better chance of success.

Christian believes that understanding and listening to our management counterparts is vital to finding solutions both parties can agree to. Mutual respect, understanding the psychological principles, and good communication and diplomatic skills are essential in a successful negotiation.

Christian and his wife live outside of Oslo and have two grown-up daughters. He loves skiing and spends as much time as possible at his cabin in the Norwegian mountains; fishing, hunting, and using his snowmobile.

Ron Hay

Ron Hay is a Captain with Delta Air Lines based in Los Angeles.  He was elected as the IFALPA Regional Vice President for United States and Central Pacific in 2018. He also is a current member of the Delta System Board of Adjustment. This Board addresses the grievances filed over work rules and contractual requirements. Currently Ron has over 35 years of airline and union experience.

He has a deep resume of union and negotiating experience, having negotiated three full section six contracts. The first being with Compass Airlines, this contract was not only industry leading with pay and work rules, it also contained the very first contractual language requiring the minimum experience of an ATP to work for the airline. The second contract being the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) that joined Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines into what is expressed as the first seamless airline merger. Prior to the merger this negotiating committee was the first to achieve a post-bankruptcy gain among the plethora of bankrupt airlines in the mid 90’s. The third contract is the current Delta contract. After the Delta pilots rejected a tentative agreement in 2016, Ron became a member of the committee that achieved, at the time was considered, the most lucrative contract in aviation history.  He has worked with the National Mediation Board with two contracts, one a mediation/arbitration and the second a fully mediated agreement. Along with this experience he has negotiated numerous MOUs and LOAs throughout his tenure on three different negotiating committees.

Rounding out his experience, Ron was the Negotiating Committee representative to the Merger committee during the seniority list integration of Northwest and Delta. He was present at all bargaining sessions as well as the arbitration hearing that determined the final merged seniority list.  

Additionally, his union work includes, two terms as an elected pilot representative, Chairman Drug and Alcohol working group, Chairman Jumpseat and Strategic planning, as well as a Government Affairs District Advocate.

Ron currently resides outside of Austin, Texas with his wife and two of his six children.

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Dellaertlaan 61, 1171 KZ
Badhoevedorp

+31 (0)20 449 85 85

www.vnv.nl