Release #08.DHL4
June 11, 2008

ASTAR Air Cargo Crewmembers Expose DHL’s Checkered Practices
Launch Advocacy Campaign to Stop DHL-UPS Deal

Wilmington, Ohio—ASTAR Air Cargo crewmembers (formerly DHL Airways), represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), this week launched a news media and advocacy campaign opposing an agreement between DHL and UPS that would give all DHL North American air overnight delivery service to UPS. The campaign exposes the past anti-consumer practices of DHL and its parent company, Deutsche Post. If the deal is allowed to move forward, it could violate U.S. antitrust laws and would eliminate thousands of jobs.

“We are outraged over the proposed transfer of our work to UPS,” said Capt. Patrick Walsh, chairman of the ASTAR pilots’ union. “The proposed DHL/UPS agreement is a fraud against our pilots, thousands of other hard-working employees, and all the American consumers who use express delivery. It seems the company will stop at nothing to circumvent antitrust laws and scam the consumers. We will do everything we can to stop this absurd agreement from moving forward, including demanding a full investigation by the appropriate authorities on the legality of the deal.”

The proposed agreement would shift the air lift required for all DHL North American domestic air overnight delivery service to UPS—one of DHL’s chief competitors in the North American market. DHL is a 49 percent owner of ASTAR and is represented on ASTAR’s Board of Directors. The agreement also comes three months after ALPA and ASTAR Air Cargo agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement with job security commitments from ASTAR that were approved and backed by DHL.

ALPA and ASTAR crewmembers have also been in contact with numerous lawmakers and regulatory officials, voicing their opposition to the agreement and weighing all legal options that could thwart this deal.

Newspaper ads are running this week in Washington, D.C.; Ohio (where 50 percent of all DHL cargo is sorted and shipped); and southern Florida, the location of DHL’s North American headquarters. These ads highlight the disgraceful track record of DHL and its parent company and voice concern that this agreement may violate antitrust legislation. In addition, the ASTAR pilots are sponsoring an airplane, towing a banner with the message: “DHL/UPS AntiTrust Anti-Worker,” to fly over the DHL headquarters in Plantation, Fla.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilots union representing 55,000 pilots at 40 airlines in the U.S. and Canada, including 525 pilots at ASTAR. ASTAR Air Cargo, formerly known as DHL Airways, began air service for DHL in 1979. Visit the ALPA Web site at www.alpa.org for more information.

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ALPA Contacts: Captain Patrick Walsh—(859) 282-1475; Art Luby—(571) 236-3523; and Doug Baj—(703) 481-4456