Emery's talks with pilots continue

By Staff -- Logistics Management, 8/1/2000

With contract negotiations between CNF Inc. subsidiary Emery Worldwide Airlines and its pilots union stretching into their 28th month, the talks continue "in good faith," says a representative for the airline.

Last month, the pilots and flight engineers represented by the Air Line Pilots Association International (ALPA) voted to authorize a strike against the airline if a stalemate in the talks persisted. But a strike is not imminent because several things, requiring substantial time, must occur first.

For a strike to occur, the National Mediation Board would have to declare an impasse and recommend that both sides submit their differences to an arbitrator. If either side declined to submit to an arbitrated settlement, the NMB would oversee 30 more days of negotiations before a strike or lockout could occur. Another vote to strike would be needed before crew members could walk out.

Sticking points in the talks, according to ALPA, are compensation and job protection. The pilots want union members to fly a greater proportion of Emery cargoes.

Emery, a $2.4 billion company, provides global air and ocean freight transportation, logistics management, and customs-brokerage services to manufacturing, industrial, retail, and government customers. Although it flies its own aircraft on most domestic routes, it operates as a forwarder for its international operations.