Airline Empires - Airline and Aviation Articles, Airline Simulation - Pilots, World Airways Released From Contract Negotiations

Pilots, World Airways Released From Contract Negotiations

Monday, 09 January 2006

Impasse Reached After Company Refuses to Bargain in Good Faith

      ATLANTA, Jan. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The pilots of World Airways received from the National Mediation Board notification of release from the mediation process, triggering a 30-day "cooling off" period.
      Release from negotiations permits the more than 400 pilots, members of Teamsters Local 986 in El Monte, California, and World Airways, Inc. to exercise self-help -- which can include a strike -- if a new contract is not reached before January 28. No negotiations are scheduled.
      "Our negotiating committee is ready and willing to work with the company to reach a new contract," said Captain Luis Carmona, Executive Council Chairman of the World Airways Pilots' union. "But the company must come to the table to truly negotiate, not with a take it or leave it attitude. It is unfortunate for all World Airways employees that our management is not willing to address employee concerns or bargain responsibly."
      The pilots' concerns seek job protection, adequate medical and life insurance and genuine compensation increases -- not those that are negated by increased benefit costs. The parties have been negotiating a new contract since June 2003, when the pilots' current collective bargaining agreement became amendable.
      Carmona disputed comparisons made by World Airways' Chief Operating Officer Charlie McDonald in a recent press release. "I don't believe the leadership of our company wants to get into a detailed comparison of compensation of both management and the pilots to the rest of the industry," Carmona said. "In addition, most US airlines don't operate in countries we fly to, many of which have warnings issued by the State Department regarding security and health concerns for American citizens."
      A subsidiary of World Air Holdings, Inc., World Airways is the largest commercial carrier of US military personnel. The airline also provides cargo services for several international carriers.
      The pilots, who became Teamsters in 1967, are among approximately 40,000 members of the Teamsters Airline Division.

Related Items: