January 15, 2021
To: Atlas Air and Southern Air Pilots
From: Jeff Carlson, Senior Vice President, Flight Operations
As we move into the New Year following a safe and successful peak season, I want to thank you for your contributions, commitment, and continued focus on delivering for our customers. We are working hard to recognize your efforts through a new Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA). We just completed another week of negotiations during which we made progress and I have an important update to share with you.
The Company and the Union negotiating committees met this week to continue discussions in the last week of scheduled negotiations. Financial advisors for the Union met separately with members of the Company’s Finance team to discuss the parties’ respective analysis and models. A short list of differences were detailed and progress was made in narrowing the areas of concern. On Thursday, the Union committees presented a modified supposal to Company negotiators. Following the Company’s review of the Union supposal, the Company suggested, and the Union agreed, to schedule dates for additional negotiating sessions. The parties have agreed to negotiate during the first two weeks of February to continue efforts to seek an agreement in advance of February 15, which is the conclusion of the nine-month bargaining period.
If an agreement is not reached by February 15, the parties will proceed to arbitration as provided for in the Atlas and Southern collective bargaining agreements.
We want to build on the significant progress made this week and we look forward to continuing meaningful discussions in February to complete a contract our pilots deserve.