Pilots Halt Talks on Contract

By Trebor Banstetter, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas

Aug. 1–American Airlines’ pilots have temporarily suspended contract talks with the airline while union leaders retool their negotiating strategy.

Lloyd Hill, an American captain and the new president of the Allied Pilots Association, told union board members last week that he plans to survey members about their contract goals. Hill, a Miami-based pilot, was elected after promising to take a more aggressive posture with management.

“Suspending the bargaining process to briefly retool, while painful for some, is necessary,” he told board members. His comments were distributed to pilots. Once the polling is completed, he said, “we will rebuild our bargaining positions, where necessary, to accurately reflect current membership desire.”

During their meeting, board members added three members to the union’s negotiating committee. American spokeswoman Sue Gordon said that airline officials are scheduled to meet the new members but that no sessions are planned beyond that.

“From the company’s perspective … we’re prepared to sit down at the table and have a meaningful conversation about the issues,” she said.

Union spokesman Gregg Overman said it is too early to say when talks will resume.

Pilots are pushing for better wages and benefits, which were slashed in 2003 when American was on the brink of bankruptcy. Airline management, meanwhile, is determined to keep labor costs under control and recently proposed looking at improving pilot productivity.

The union’s previous president, Ralph Hunter, had proposed a 30 percent wage hike as well as a signing bonus.

But most expect the new leaders to come up with their own proposal, which could differ substantially from Hunter’s.

Although talks began last year, the pilots’ contract isn’t open for changes until April. Negotiations could stretch far beyond that date.

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Trebor Banstetter, 817-390-7064 tbanstetter@star-telegram.com

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