Mediators offer arbitration in Delta dispute

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The National Mediation Board offered arbitration Thursday to try to settle the ongoing contract dispute between Delta and its pilots union.

Delta and the Air Line Pilots Association, which represents Delta's nearly 10,000 pilots, had met under the auspices of the mediation board in recent days, but failed to reach a breakthrough after months of intense negotiations.

If either side rejects the board's offer to arbitrate, there would be a 30-day cooling off period before a strike could occur.

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Ratcheting up the pressure on the union, Delta has agreed to accept the offer.

Union leadership will meet next Thursday to consider the offer. Its leaders issued a blistering statement after today's development.

"We are extremely disappointed that after nearly 19 months of direct negotiations, including nearly four months under the guidance of the National Mediation Board, no agreement has been reached with Delta management," said Capt. Charles S. Giambusso, chairman of the union's master council.

"Our primary objective is simple and straightforward: to achieve a negotiated settlement at the bargaining table."

Among the key sticking points, according to the union: Delta has yet to guarantee full retroactive pay dating back to last May, when contracts ran out, and the airline still has a two-tier pay scale, with lower pay going to pilots of its commuter airline, Delta Express.

Delta has 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 be making less than their counterparts at Delta.

President Bush, who issued a presidential order earlier this month to prevent Northwest mechanics from striking for at least 60 days, has said he may intervene in other airline labor disputes.

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Delta Air Lines
Air Line Pilots Association

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