Strike authorization ballots have been sent to the pilots at fractional jet operator Flight Options LLC. Ballots will be counted at the offices of the pilots' union, Teamsters Local 1108, on Oct. 19, 2009.“The International Brotherhood of Teamsters stands behind the Flight Options pilots 100 percent,” said Capt. David Bourne, Teamsters Airline Division Director. “These negotiations have been going on for over three years. It’s time our members get the contract they deserve.”
According to a press statement issued by the union:
The parties met in Washington, D.C. at the offices of the National Mediation Board (NMB) last week in an attempt to reach a complete agreement on remaining compensation, benefit and work rule provisions. No agreement was reached and the federal mediator assigned to the case has scheduled a final bargaining session Oct. 26-31.“Local 1108 is ready to make a fair agreement with Flight Options management,” said Capt. Mat Slinghoff, Local 1108 President. “A fair agreement requires industry standard scope protections, benefit security and compensation increases pilots need.”
Under the Railway Labor Act, the NMB, the federal agency charged with administering that federal labor law, may declare that its mediation efforts failed to produce an agreement resulting in a proffer of voluntary binding arbitration as a last resort. If either management or the labor organization rejects the arbitration proffer, a 30-day cooling offer period is imposed, after which time the labor organization is free to strike the carrier absent intervention by the president of the United States.
