Move FM Global News

NEW YORK CITY, New York: The Air Line Pilots Association has announced that pilots of FedEx Corp’s air delivery unit voted “overwhelmingly” to strike for higher pay, if required.

The association added that it has entered the final stages of a contract negotiation with the company.

Amid staff shortages and surging air travel demand, pilots are enjoying greater bargaining power and pushing for better contracts with airlines and parcel companies.

More than 97 percent of union members took part in the vote, with 99 percent authorizing union leaders to call a strike by FedEx Express pilots if needed.

In a statement, FedEx said, “We are still in productive negotiations with our pilots, under the supervision of a government-appointed mediator, and will return to the bargaining table next week.”

The industry standard for pilot pay has significantly increased with agreements ratified over the past few months, the union said.

In December, Delta Air Lines offered a 34 percent cumulative pay rise.

“The ball is in the management’s court, and it’s time for the company to get serious at the bargaining table and invest in our pilots,” said Chris Norman, chairman of the FedEx ALPA master executive council.

Ahead of the busy summer travel season, the pilots’ union at Southwest Airlines also recently backed a strike mandate.

However, under US law pilots cannot walk off the job until the National Mediation Board grants them permission.

The board must first decide that additional mediation efforts would not be productive and offer the parties an opportunity to arbitrate.