Delta, pilots reach agreement

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The National Mediation Board (NMB) announced Sunday that Delta Air Lines and the Airline Pilots' Association (ALPA), representing nearly 10,000 Delta pilots, had reached a tentative deal on a new collective bargaining agreement.

"We are gratified to have a tentative agreement that benefits everyone associated with Delta Air Lines," said Delta chairman and chief executive Leo Mullin in a statement. "This agreement will make Delta pilots the best paid in the industry and will provide other significant improvements."

"Equally important, this tentative agreement gives Delta the financial and competitive framework required to be profitable and successful, especially in an uncertain economy," the statement said.

According to ALPA, pay increases range from 24 to 34 percent over the life of the four-year contract. Prior to this agreement, United pilots were the industry's highest paid.

The tentative contract also includes a pay hike for pilots at Delta's low-cost carrier, Delta Express. The union said Delta Express pilots will get 63 percent pay increases over the life of the contract.

Also included in the tentative agreement, according to the union, were job security enhancements, full retroactive pay back to May 2000, and retirement and vacation improvements.

The tentative package must still be approved by the Delta pilots' Master Executive Council and the pilot membership the NMB said.

The tentative agreement came as a surprise to many at Delta, where one official had told CNN last week there would be no progress in the three days of scheduled talks at the National Mediation Board in Washington, a last-ditch effort to avoid a strike set for Sunday, April 29.

But the two sides continued their talks through the weekend and reached an agreement.

Union officials have scheduled a meeting for Saturday to consider ratification. The rank and file are expected to meet some time after that.

Delta and the union began labor talks in September 1999, but the most recent round of negotiations started April 18 in Washington with federal mediators.

CNN Correspondent Patty Davis contributed to this story.

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Delta Air Lines
Air Line Pilots Association
National Mediation Board

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