(Boursier.com) — Is the situation starting to get tense again in the American sky? While the major national carriers have unveiled solid quarterly accounts and expressed their optimism for the end of the year, the pilots of Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have come in turn to reject the proposals of their respective management. The pilots of Air France partner KLM first voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike if contract negotiations failed, said the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), a union, which represents nearly 15,000 airline pilots from Atlanta.
“Our goal is to reach an agreement, not strike,” union boss Jason Ambrosi said. “The ball is in management’s court. It’s time for the company to get serious at the bargaining table and invest in Delta pilots.” “Significant progress” has been made in contract negotiations and only a few issues remain, Delta tried to reassure, saying its pilots are not on strike and the vote will not affect its business. .
United Airlines pilots have “overwhelmingly” rejected a tentative agreement that would have given pilots pay increases of nearly 17%, the same union said. The tentative deal ‘falls short of the premier contract United pilots have earned and deserve after leading the airline through the pandemic and return to profitability,’ ALPA said. . The union said it would hold information pickets to encourage the company to resume talks.
Under US law, pilots cannot leave their posts until the National Mediation Board gives them permission to do so. The board must first decide that further mediation efforts cannot succeed and offer the parties the option of arbitration. If either party refuses, begins a 30-day “cooling off” period, after which pilots and management can engage in a self-help process, either a strike or a shutdown provisional.
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