Agreement reached in the US on labour contract at Astar

Change low graphic options | Change language | Skip content to navigation

Page context: Global delivery > Latest news > Astar agreement

21 February 2008

A bitter dispute at one of DHL’s primary contractors has finally been resolved after management and unions in the US reached a deal on a new labour agreement.

The pilots, represented by the US ITF-affiliated Air Line Pilots’ Association (Alpa), reached the tentative agreement with Astar Air Cargo management after the National Mediation Board (NMB) was brought in to assist with negotiations. The previous contract expired in 2003 and had been negotiated by the union and DHL Airways, which was later renamed Astar Air Cargo.

The deal follows years of lengthy and fruitless negotiations, which led to a union publicity campaign as well as demonstrations to press Astar Air Cargo and DHL on the issue. Alpa had also planned to make a request for permission from the NMB to take strike action this year.

The four-year agreement will offer Astar pilots retrospective compensation and a wage increase of over 20 per cent over the period of the contract. The agreement also includes a commitment by the company to secure new aircraft, improving members’ job security.

The contract is yet to be endorsed by pilots; a series of roadshows, set to take place over the coming weeks, will outline the benefits of the new deal to members.

Patrick Walsh, Vice-Chairman of Astar ALPA's Master Executive Council, commented: “This agreement provides significant improvements in compensation, work rules, and job security. In the present environment at DHL and in the industry at large these improvements were not easy to achieve.”

Section home:
Global Delivery

Transport International Magazine

Full graphics version

accessibility | site help | site map

ITF House, 49-60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DR | +44 20 7403 2733 | mail@itf.org.uk