Union Wanted Earlier Deal, Says Membership Should Vote No

In what has been termed the "last and final offer" for a contract, AirTran pilots have before them an offer their union says they should refuse.

The tentative contract the National Pilots Association initially supported was offered in May, as ANN reported, then withdrawn in June. A federal mediator was brought in to facilitate negotiations in July.

The biggest hurdles to be overcome in the negotiations were scheduling issues, according to Bloomberg News. "It's quality-of-life issues," union President Allen Philpot said.

According to AirTran senior vice president of operations Stephen Kolski, the current offer provides for equal or even higher pay rates than pilots at Delta Air Lines -- AirTran's cross-tarmac rival in Atlanta -- currently receive.

Greater flexibility in work rules lets AirTran pay pilots competitively while operating more efficiently than larger carriers, Kolski said.

"If the union membership compares pay and benefits and quality-of-life work rules with what they have now, and then measures that against other carriers, they will see it's a very good deal," Kolski said.

AirTran's 1,450 pilots have until September 5 to cast their vote one way or the other for their new four-year contract. The union -- still smarting from withdrawal of the earlier TA -- has recommended its membership "vote no" to the amended deal.

FMI: www.airtran.com, www.npa-atl.org