Delta pilots authorize union to call strike

February 12, 2001
Web posted at: 2:16 p.m. EST (1916 GMT)

In this story: Negotiations continue Union demands include retroactive pay RELATED STORIES, SITES

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Delta pilots have overwhelmingly authorized union leadership to call a strike if the airline doesn't meet their contract demands.

The Air Line Pilots Association said 97 percent of its 8,300 members voted in favor of a strike if necessary. Union leadership cannot call a strike without approval first from its members. The earliest Delta pilots could strike is April 1.

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Pilots' strike

"Delta pilots have demonstrated overwhelmingly that they are unified and ready to leave the cockpit, if necessary, to achieve the contract we have earned and deserve," said Capt. Charles S. Giambusso, a union representative.

The pilots finished voting Friday, and the results were released Monday.

Negotiations continue

Giambusso said the union is continuing to negotiate with the airline to avoid a strike, under the auspices of the National Mediation Board.

"We are working diligently to that end," he said in a written statement. "However, we are prepared for either scenario. The ball is now in management's court."

Delta spokeswoman Elisia Watson said the airline is trying to reach an agreement with the union in an effort to avoid a strike. She said if those talks fail and pilots do strike, the airline would be forced to shut down until a settlement can be reached.

Last week, Delta offered to make its pilots the highest paid in the commercial airline industry -- a contract proposal a union spokesman called a "step in the right direction."

Under its proposal, Delta offered its pilots a four-year contract that includes raises ranging from 7 percent to 17.5 percent. Delta Express pilots would see an increase of nearly 21 percent, but still would make less than their counterparts at Delta.

Union demands include retroactive pay

Union spokeswoman Karen Miller said it was nice to see the airline starting to come around, but Delta still needs to do more.

"Their paper proposal was a step in the right direction," she said.

She said the union has two main objections: The airline has yet to guarantee full retroactive pay dating back to last May 1, and the airline still has a two-tier pay rate for pilots of its commuter airline, Delta Express.

"That is unacceptable to the union," she said.

Both sides have until February 28 to reach an agreement. If a settlement is not reached, there would be a 30-day cooling-off period, if the National Mediation Board does not step in before then.

Delta has 9,800 pilots but not all are voting members of the union.

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Delta Air Lines
Air Line Pilots Association
National Mediation Board

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