Pilots picket AAWW annual meeting
Pilots flying for Atlas Air – DHL’s largest North American contractor – picketed outside the annual shareholder meeting of the airline’s parent company in New York City yesterday (24 May), protesting over stalled contract negotiations and arrangements for rest time between flights. Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings (AAWW) owns three airlines that fly for DHL: Atlas Air, Polar Air Cargo and Southern Air Holdings. DHL accounts for more than 50% of Atlas Air’s business, and it is the sole customer of Southern Air. Internet giant Amazon, meanwhile, recently signed an agreement with Atlas Air.
Citing growing concerns over stalled contract negotiations, pilots at the three AAWW carriers and two other North American DHL-contracted airlines, ABX and Kalitta Air, recently voted to strike if necessary.
“Pilots across AAWW and other American carriers flying for DHL are united because we know our families deserve better. We deserve to be treated fairly, and we simply won’t stand for the global race to the bottom that is affecting the entire cargo industry,” said Teamsters Local 1224 President and Atlas Air Captain Daniel C. Wells.
