http://teamsterair.org/node/2452
Teamster Airline Division News, Week Ending, April 23, 2016
Strike Vote Plan for ABX, Atlas, Kalitta and Southern Crew Members Announced
Citing of a lack of meaningful progress in negotiations, the ABX ExCo has announced that they will be conducting a strike vote against the management of ABX and ATSG, the holding company that owns ABX. ABX crews will receive detailed instructions for voting via email, with voting opening April 30th and closing May 12th.
In a message to the membership of Local 1224; which includes ABX, Atlas, Kalitta and Southern Air crewmembers, Local 1224 President Daniel Wells said, “Last Friday, I announced that the members of Atlas and Southern will likewise hold a strike vote, joining their brothers at Kalitta with their 94% vote last fall.” Speaking to the broader issue, Wells said, “This means that by May 12th, four of our carriers, the airlines that make up the majority of DHL’s express network, will most assuredly be operating under the threat of a strike. With the close coordination of the ExCo’s and SPC Committees and with the integrated-like manner of different carrier operations within the DHL system, should one of our properties engage in a lawful self-help (strike), their fellow members at the Local’s carriers will not be able to operate with the threat and danger of struck work. This would severely damage DHL’s worldwide express network.
This reality has been created by the inability of these individual company managements to satisfy the legitimate needs and security of their pilots; all of them using the RLA to squash and undermine the rights of their employees, rather than as a platform to negotiate a CBA in good faith. They have sown what they now reap.
Underlying all of this disruption to the lives of our members and the attempted gutting of your profession and future security is one central actor – DHL. While a large customer to all of these four carriers, their business comes with a price – a huge, foreign, integrator actively working to lower your wages, quality of life, and the security of your profession and family.”
Atlas Air began voting on April 19th and concludes their vote on May 6th. Southern Air begins voting on April 30th and concludes their vote on May 12th.