Ambrosi’s Unity Letter Shows Exactly Why He Should NOT Be Leading ALPA

Jason Ambrosi’s latest “unity letter” was meant to project strength and rally members ahead of the ALPA elections. Instead, it reads like a political liability — long-winded, self-congratulatory, and riddled with hypocrisy. For all its talk of “unity,” the letter says more about Ambrosi’s priorities and his incompetence than he realizes.

...Instead, it reads like a political liability — long-winded, self-congratulatory, and riddled with hypocrisy.

Political Headwinds Inside ALPA
He’s taking heat from Group A player’s DAL and UAL, and likely from Group B carriers like JBU. The discontent has been building for months: slippage on FOQ* enforcement, repeated stumbles on EQP*, and missteps on RCO*, all compounded by a growing perception that he’s “too Canadian” in his focus.This is not a new pattern. Ambrosi’s roots in the regional airlines have always carried with them a “tail wagging the dog” mentality — one where regional carriers shape ALPA politics at the expense of the major airlines that contribute the bulk of the union’s dues. The damage of this approach was laid bear with the arrival of the Embraer E-Jet family (E170/175/190/195). Nowhere was the impact more devastating than in the UAL–Continental merger, which triggered massive displacement of United’s 737 pilots. That’s when the “Embraer Guppy Killer” stickers began appearing on regional pilots’ flight bags, a blunt reflection of how major airline jobs were undercut by the very dynamics ALPA leadership fostered. National has allowed this imbalance to persist in order to maintain populist power, sacrificing seniority and stability while undermining the pilots who fund the lion’s share of ALPA’s revenue.That’s why his “Unity” letter opens with Canadian labor issues, trumpeting the Porter Airlines certification and the looming Air Canada flight attendant strike. It’s a calculated play to reinforce his international labor credentials with the reps, even though those issues have little to do with the immediate needs of U.S. pilots. Meanwhile, the most consequential policy fight of the year — the ICAO ambassador nomination — is nowhere to be found in his “unity” message.

Hypocrisy on Safety and Solidarity
Ambrosi claims ALPA “always” puts safety and members first, but his opposition to raising the retirement age tells a different story. The current retirement age forces out the profession’s most experienced captains, erodes mentorship, and accelerates the “experience cliff” that’s already visible in the industry. When the livelihoods of senior U.S. captains are on the line, his vaunted “unity” evaporates.The cost is staggering roughly $2 million in lost earnings per pilot, adding up to $160 billion across the membership, plus more than $3 billion in lost union dues that could have been invested in bargaining, legal defense, and safety initiatives.

Campaign Mode, Not Leadership
His letter is less a leadership statement and more a campaign memo, a signal to the MEC representatives that he’s “getting things done” and keeping labor alliances strong. It’s a transparent strategy that reveals the weakness of populist leadership, and the audience isn’t persuaded. The more this disconnect becomes visible to the rank-and-file, the more pressure MEC reps will feel to question his leadership.

Act Now
It’s time to make sure every U.S. airline with retirement age advocates understands the full scope of Ambrosi’s failures — from policy blunders to outright political pandering. Push his multi-faceted incompetence into every corner of the conversation. Let the visibility grow, let the representatives feel the pressure, and demand they show some backbone. Remind them what unionism was — and what it should be. Above all, protect the Captain’s seat. It is the anchor of safety, economic strength, fraternity, and stability. These are the true cornerstones of unionism. 

We were all hired to be Captains.

*Flight and Duty Time (FOQ) enforcement slippage
*Equipment Qualification (EQP) issues
*Reduced-Crew Operations (RCO)