Release 07.ASA2
August 7, 2007

MEDIA ADVISORY

Delta Connection ALPA Pilots Picket To Protest Nearly Five Years Of Negotiations

ATLANTA—Delta Connection Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA) pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), will conduct informational picketing at the Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport on Wednesday, August 8. Picketing will take place on the east end of the South Terminal.

The airline has been plagued with delays and cancellations largely due to pilot resignations out of frustration with poor pay and schedules—much of which can be fixed by a new contract.

Based in Atlanta, ASA operates solely as a “Delta Connection” carrier and is a wholly owned subsidiary of SkyWest, Inc.

Why:

ASA pilots are very frustrated by the long drawn out negotiating process lasting nearly five years as they work under pay and work rules established by their 1998 agreement. The National Mediation Board recently announced the 290th bargaining session to be held Aug. 28-31 in Washington, DC. Pilots want passengers, management, Delta and SkyWest to know that they are not happy.

When:

Wednesday, August 8, 2007 – 10:00 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.

Background:

The ASA pilots began negotiations with company management in September 2002, when their most current contract became amendable under the terms of the Railway Labor Act. Negotiations have been conducted with the assistance of the National Mediation Board (NMB) since May 2004. Although to date, the pilots and management have tentatively agreed to the majority of the existing sections of the pilots’ collective bargaining agreement, they still remain apart on a dozen or so elements, including pilot compensation. The pilots have requested an offer of binding arbitration from the NMB that would finally establish a deadline for the negotiations, but to date the NMB has refused this request and instead scheduled more negotiating sessions.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilot union, representing 60,000 pilots at 41 airlines in the United States and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org.

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ALPA CONTACTS: Capt. Rick Bernskoetter (678) 640-4510
Anya Piazza (703) 481-4457