The announcement about the strike vote results comes days after FedEx pilots voted in favor of a new six-year labor contract. If the release is granted, the pilots would be able to strike.
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The pilots’ vote authorizes the union’s executive board to formally request a release from federally mediated negotiations with UPS, and the discretion to conduct a strike once mediation is concluded, according to the union.
IPA president Robert Travis noted in a statement that negotiations between UPS and the pilots have gone on for four years and “the company has failed to deliver a contract for its own pilots”.
And it pointed out that strike authorization votes are a common tactic in airline negotiations, with pilots’ unions, going back to 2000 having held approximately 20 authorization votes with an average approval rate of 97 percent. The current contract was ratified August 2006 and became amendable December. 31, 2011. He said it’s not unusual for contract talks to take several years. Federal authorities likely would hesitate before releasing the two parties from mediation, which would effectively allow a strike that could cripple the economy. “Our last pilot contract took about four years, our last contract with our aircraft mechanics took about four years”.
“Our pilots are exhausted and they’re not getting help with fatigue mitigation from UPS”, Travis said.
The company Friday sought to deny any suggestion that the bargaining could disrupt holiday deliveries, saying that UPS “remains confident that we will reach a win-win agreement with our pilots, just as we had in our previous negotiations”. By comparison, the next highest-paid captains-who happen to work at FedEx-earn $230,379 at guaranteed levels, the company said. UPS Airlines continues to operate a safe, on-time air express network. Global Brotherhood of Teamsters General President James Hoffa pledged the support of 250,000 UPS Teamster co-workers.
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The union representing United Parcel Service Inc. pilots voted overwhelmingly to strike as contract negotiations enter their fifth year, a very public signal of employee dissatisfaction at the delivery giant as its all-important holiday peak fast approaches. Please include you name and the name of the company or organization your work for.
