ATLANTA (AP) — The pilots’ union at Delta Air Lines has rejected the idea of submitting to arbitration with their counterparts at the Northwest Airlines Corporation to break their impasse over integrating seniority lists as part of a possible combination of the carriers.þþ“In short, there will be no binding arbitration,” Lee Moak, head of Delta’s pilots’ union, said in an e-mail message Wednesday.þþPilot union leaders at Northwest suggested in a memorandum to rank-and-file Northwest pilots on Tuesday that arbitration might be a way to break the deadlock. Traditionally, arbitration in these situations is binding.þþThe memo said that “if management feels the time is now for consolidation, they would be wise to encourage both pilot groups to accept expedited arbitration.”þþArbitration can be a long process that traditionally follows announcement of a deal between airlines whose unions cannot reach contractual or seniority agreements on their own.þþIn this case, Delta and Northwest have not announced a combination agreement, and Delta executives have said they will move forward on such a deal with another airline only if, among other things, the seniority of their employees is protected.þþArbitration might not be desirable for Delta’s pilots because of concern that younger pilots might lose the seniority they obtained after the mass exodus of older pilots ahead of Delta’s bankruptcy filing in 2005, industry analysts have said. The airline emerged from Chapter 11 protection last April.þþOn Monday, the head of Delta’s pilots’ union said in a letter to Delta pilots that the union had told company executives that it had been unable to agree on seniority issues with its counterpart at Northwest, raising serious doubts about the prospect of a combination of the companies.þþThe letter suggested that talks between the sides were over.þþNorthwest pilot leaders said in their memo to Northwest pilots that arbitration was not perfect, but could get the job done in time for the merged entity to “reap the benefits of the efficiencies much earlier than with two frustrated pilot groups engaged in a traditional merger.”þþA Delta spokeswoman, Betsy Talton, declined Wednesday to address the dueling positions of the two pilot unions, but she said a special committee of Delta’s board remained active and “will continue at its sole discretion to review the long-term best options to protect the interest of all Delta stakeholders.” A Northwest spokeswoman, Tammy Lee, declined to comment.þþ
Source: NY Times
