Sunday, June 25, 2006
UPS, pilots review progress
Meeting focuses on scheduling agreements

By Dan Blake
[email protected]
The Courier-Journal

UPS and its pilots met yesterday in Louisville after the federal mediator overseeing contract talks was encouraged by progress the two sides showed earlier in the week and asked them to continue through the weekend.

The talks aren't formal negotiations. The mediator asked the two sides to review their agreements so far on scheduling to make sure there weren't any misunderstandings, said Mark Giuffre, UPS spokesman. If the two sides agree on scheduling, they would move on to economic issues like benefits and pay, he said.

Those involved are a small group of top UPS and union officials, Giuffre said yesterday evening. The two sides met Wednesday and Thursday and, at the mediator's urging, continued meeting Friday and yesterday and were scheduled to resume today.

"They made good progress during the week and the mediator wanted the two sides to keep talking," he said.

A message left for Brian Gaudet, spokesman for the Independent Pilots Association, wasn't immediately returned last night. The IPA represents about 2,700 UPS pilots.

Talks this week in Louisville focused on scheduling, which is so entwined with how much pilots are paid that agreement on the issue would open the way for more talks on pensions, health care and compensation, Giuffre said.

Formal negotiations fell apart in December. The federal mediator put the talks in recess just before Christmas but refused to give the pilots permission to call a strike against the package delivery company.

At the time, the pilots cited their demand for a guarantee that their members will get work as UPS expands, with contract language forbidding UPS from outsourcing some of its deliveries.

The union and UPS have been in off-and-on contract talks for more than three years, with the mediation board supervising negotiations since mid-2004.

Under federal laws governing airline contracts, the union can't strike and the company can't lock out the pilots unless the board declares an impasse. Even then, the two sides would have to wait 30 days before taking action.

Reporter Dan Blake can be reached at (502) 582-4627.

This UPS spokesmoron gets on my nerves.

I'd be willing to bet that if this guy read some of the stuff posted on this forum, the feeling would be mutual.

Has anything happened over the weekend with these talks?

Maybe so, but he gives more information out than our own union.

Did you like the ALL CAPS SUNDAY NIGHT UPDATE from Tom? Brian Gaudet must have been asleep already.

I would say so, they are going to continue to meet all week. Sounds like a deal is close.

Yeah like the fact that our average pay is $175,000. Either they don't "average" in first year pay or the co. owes me some cash.

I'm sure that both you and brownstain get on his

oh, you poor thing

Whatever dude...I am not getting into anymore pi$$ing contests with you. I really don't care what you think and I am sure the feeling is mutual.