The Railway Labor Act, 45 U.S.C. § 151 et seq., provides that “disputes between an employee ... and a carrier ... growing out of grievances, or out of the interpretation or application of agreements concerning rates of pay, rules, or working conditions ... may be referred ... to an appropriate adjustment board ____” 45 U.S.C. § 184 . This case concerns the meaning of the term “employee” in this provision.

Alaska Airlines, Inc. employed James Hickey as a pilot until his retirement on January 9, 1982. On March 27, 1982, almost three months after his retirement, Hickey filed a grievance asserting that the airline had incorrectly determined his retirement benefits. Alaska Airlines refused to consider Hickey’s claim, arguing that because Hickey was no longer an employee, he had no right to file a grievance.

On October 4, 1982, Hickey and the Air Line Pilots Association International commenced an action in the District Court for the Western District of Washington, seeking to compel Alaska Airlines to arbitrate Hickey’s grievance. The district court granted plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and directed the airline to arbitrate the grievance. Alaska Airlines filed this appeal.

The Railway Labor Act defines “employee” as including “every person in the service of a carrier (subject to its continuing authority to supervise and direct the manner of rendition of his service) who performs any work defined as that of an employee ....” 45 U.S.C. § 151 Fifth. In Pennsylvania R.R. v. Day, 360 U.S. 548 , 79 S.Ct. 1322 , 3 L.Ed.2d 1422 (1959), the Supreme Court broadly interpreted this definition to.include an employee who has retired from service after initiating a claim for compensation for work performed while on active duty. Id. at 551-52 , 79 S.Ct. at 1324-25 .

On appeal, Alaska Airlines contends that Day is not controlling precedent because in Day the grievance was initiated before retirement, rather than after retirement. We think that this factual distinction is without legal significance. The rationale of Day applies with equal force regardless whether the grievance was initiated before or after retirement:

360 U.S. at 551-52 , 79 S.Ct. at 1324 (footnote omitted).

AFFIRMED.