The Independent Association of Continental Pilots (IACP) was a bargaining agent (labor union) certified by the National Mediation Board (NMB) on July 12, 1993.
Additionally, the NMB answered several pilot inquiries about their representational status stating that there had not been any action that resulting in a change to the bargaining agent.
Traditional union representation by ALPA in terms of contract negotiations (collective bargaining) and prosecution of grievances was virtually nonexistent from the end of the pilot strike in 1985, but ALPA vigorously represented the rights of pilots who return to work after the strike.
In 1999 the contract negotiations by the IACP yielded even greater improvements to the pay and benefits of Continental pilots.
A third organizational effort by ALPA began officially in 2000 (headed by the then current IACP president captain Pat Burke) was finally successful and approximately 7,000 Continental and Continental Express pilots elected about 2:1 to be represented by ALPA, at which time the IACP ceased to exist (May 22, 2001).