Alaska Airlines pilots voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike at some future date if the current negotiations with management and federal mediation efforts fail. The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) said Wednesday that nearly 96% of its members cast mail-in votes and that 99% of those authorized the union’s leaders to call a strike if necessary and when permitted after a prolonged process managed by the National Mediation Board. Following an informational picket in April by 1,500 off-duty pilots, the almost unanimous resolve indicated by the vote result will increase pressure on Alaska A…