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AA; B.S. Warner, AA; H. F. Cole, NWA; R. M. Cochrane, UAL; W. A. Hallgren, AA; Hal George, TWA; M.D. Ator, AA; J. L. Huber, AA; F. E. Ormsbee, PAA; M. Sterling, UAL, and W.R. Bullock, NWA. These pilots, and especially David L. Behncke, spent many months in the nation's capitol fighting for pilot recognition and protection.

The Railway Labor Act...

Now, there was a set of standards covering rates of compensation and working conditions. However, there still remained the problem of obtaining employment agreements between the pilots and the carriers. Likewise, a means of settling disputes was still lacking. ALPA, having worked closely during its early organizational battles with the Railway Brotherhoods, directed its next efforts in the federal legislative field to revision of the Railway Labor Act. Several years of efforts brought fruit when the Association was instrumental in causing the adoption by Congress of Title II of the Railway Labor Act, applying to air carriers, on April 10, 1936. This Act established the obligation of air carriers to bargain with their employees and also established provisions for the orderly settlement of disputes between carriers and employees. This paved the way for the negotiation of employment agreements by ALPA. The first such agreement was signed in May, 1939, with American Airlines.

The question of whether the fledgling Association should "go it alone" or affiliate itself with one of the national labor movements was another problem in the Association's formative days. Leaders of the young ALPA, untutored in the ways of representing employees, and in the procedures necessary to effectively develop an organization, were greatly assisted by representatives of the A. F. of L. both during and prior to ALPA's formation. When it seemed imminent that the A. F. of L. was about to grant a charter to another organization on the west coast to represent pilots, ALPA applied for and was issued an international charter on August 10, 1931. The Association has maintained its affiliation with the A. F. of L. to this date.

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[[caption]] ALPA's first formal dinner following Second Convention in Chicago in 1934 [[/caption]]

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[[caption]] Pilot committee arrives in Washington to fight against Aviation Code in 1933 [[/caption]]

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[[caption]] Members of pilot committee which negotiated first Agreement with AA, 1939 [[/caption]]

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[[caption]] ALPA representatives meet Dr. Ralph Green for 85-hour flight limitations [[/caption]]

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