Election Administrators at Teamsters Local 747 counted Strike Authorization Ballots Friday, which were cast by the pilots at Chautauqua Airlines. The Chautauqua pilot group voted 94% in favor of the option to strike if such action becomes a necessity.
 
Upset over the company's recent actions regarding the formation of alter- ego Republic Airlines and the recent cancellation of negotiations, the Local 747 Executive Board chose to send out the Strike Vote in an effort to express to the company the pilots' resolve and determination for getting a satisfactory contract. The negotiating committee also wants the company to end their attempts to leverage contract talks and pilots' growth with the prospect of Republic Airlines competing for existing code sharing partners.

Contract negotiations have been taking place since November 2001 and there has been very little movement in recent contract talks. If negotiations continue to be unsuccessful, the negotiating committee, in accordance with the Railway Labor Act and National Mediation Board, will ask to be released to exercise self-help. If the National Mediation Board does agree with the impasse and releases the pilots, there will be a thirty-day cooling off period, in which negotiations can continue. A strike action will not occur unless the National Mediation Board agrees to an impasse in negotiations and releases the pilots to do so.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million men and women throughout the United States and Canada.

FMI: www.flychautauqua.com