Originally Posted by
FoxHunter
UPS Pilots (Independent Pilots Association) Call Strike Vote
Sept 9 (Reuters) -
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The contract is under the Railway Labor Act, the U.S. labor law that governs railroads and airlines, ...
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"... there is no real threat of a strike. Such authorization votes are routine during negotiations in the airline industry, but they are legally irrelevant under the Railway Labor Act," UPS spokesman Mike Mangeot said in an emailed statement.
Even if the National Mediation Board grants the union a release from the talks, there are a "series of fail-safes, including presidential and congressional intervention, designed to prevent an interruption in operations," Mangeot said.
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(Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; Editing by Kirti Pandey)
The above highlighted statement is instructive, and something we should always bear in mind. It reflects the core attitude of the employer in RLA negotiations. It's the uphill battle we all have to fight. To Management, strike is never a threat.
We have the heavier burden in this lop-sided process, but we have tools at our disposal and must use them wisely. Individuals are still free to make their own choices.
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