Key Breakthroughs In Quality Of Life Issues

NetJets Aviation announced Wednesday it had reached a tentative agreement with pilots to end nearly four years of protracted contract talks with the fractional airline. The new contract is said to include specific language guaranteeing the more than 2,000 pilots a better quality of life, as well as pay increases as high as 60-percent of current wages.

"With this agreement a better future for the pilots and families can be assured," said Bill Olsen, President, Teamsters Local 1108 in Columbus, Ohio. "NetJets will no longer be a stepping stone to a career in the aviation industry, but rather a company where pilots remain for their career."

"This tentative agreement has the potential to set the standard for pilots in the business jet industry," Olsen added, according to a union news release.

As was reported in Aero-News, pilots picketed last month outside Centennial Airport's TAC Air in protest of the four-year negotiations. Among other points, pilots were requesting higher wages to better match the salaries of pilots with other organizations flying comparable aircraft. In some cases, NetJets wages were 55 percent less than those businesses.

NetJets Aviation President Bill Boisture said he was pleased with the agreement. "Both sides negotiated long, hard and in good faith, this is a fair agreement and we are confident that the pilots will endorse it as enthusiastically as the union leadership."

Union members previously rejected the last tentative agreement reached in August 2004-- by a resounding 82 percent majority -- but union officials feel the new contract has a much better chance of passing muster, as they believe it better addresses their key issues.

FMI: www.netjets.com, www.ibt1108.org