ABX and ANA

[Cargoav8or]

ABX Air Confirms Discussions with All Nippon Airways
Thursday February 8, 5:30 pm ET


WILMINGTON, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ABX Air (NASDAQ:ABXA - News) today confirmed reports that it is in discussions with All Nippon Airways (ANA) concerning the leasing of ABX Air Boeing 767 freighter aircraft to ANA for use in the Asia market.[SIZE=-2]ADVERTISEMENT[/SIZE]
if(window.yzq_d==null)window.yzq_d=new Object();window.yzq_d['wwaHANG_Rvk-']='&U=13a491a4e%2fN%3dwwaHANG_Rvk-%2fC%3d542254.9010428.10734404.2313487%2fD%3dLREC%2fB%3d4012482';"We hope to gain an agreement with ANA under terms beneficial to both ANA and ABX Air," President and CEO Joe Hete said. "But at this time, we are unable to predict if, or when such an agreement might be reached."
ABX Air is a cargo airline that operates out of Wilmington, Ohio, and 17 hubs throughout the United States. In addition to providing airlift capacity and sort facility staffing to DHL, ABX Air provides charter, maintenance and package handling services to a diverse group of customers. ABX Air is the largest employer in a several-county area in southwestern Ohio.
Except for historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this release contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. ABX Air's actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, whether ANA and ABX Air are successful in coming to terms on an agreement, and other factors that are contained from time to time in ABX Air's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including ABX Air's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Readers should carefully review this release and should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements were based on information, plans and estimates as of the date of this release. ABX Air undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, new information, future events or other changes.

 

[Cargoav8or]

Did ABX hire back those 23 folks that DHL screwed, or is the DHL disease continuing to spread around the field?

 

[ABXbooger]

Who are you talking about?

 

[rotor&wing]

Who are you talking about?

Hours cut, full-time benefits lost
[FONT=ARIAL, SANS SERIF]Twenty-three DHL workers impacted by move of flight to nights[/FONT]

[FONT=ARIAL, SANS SERIF]Gary Huffenberger[/FONT]
[FONT=ARIAL, SANS SERIF]Staff Writer[/FONT]

[FONT=ARIAL, SANS SERIF]Twenty-three people lost their day shift jobs last week in the DHL International Gateway operations at the Wilmington hub when the flight they worked with was moved to nights.

The affected workers were informed in mid-January that as of Jan. 31 if they chose to remain as employees they would get "limited part-time positions on the night shift with no guaranteed hours," Shawnda Batson told Wilmington City Council at its Thursday meeting. Batson is one of the 23 workers.

Thus, for the employees, moving to the night shift would mean losing their full-time benefits and having their hours cut to part-time. "And they couldn't even guarantee us three hours a night," said Batson.

"So they said either take a severance package and go, or take the part-time and stay," she summarized.

Batson addressed city council because she feels DHL is not sticking to its pledges to create 600 full-time jobs and 300 part-time jobs in Wilmington in return for a state and local package of incentives worth hundreds of millions of dollars for the company to locate here rather than at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Covington, Ky.

A 30-year Clinton County resident, Batson worked 15 years for ABX Air before DHL recruited her and others to leave their full-time, night-time positions to work in DHL's International Gateway.

The offer was attractive, she said, noting it meant having a day-shift job and getting a $2 an hour pay increase.

According to Batson, ABX Air assured the workers that according to company policy, the workers would have one year to return to their ABX jobs at the same salary and benefits as they had when they left.

The loss of their full-time DHL jobs, said Batson, "came exactly one day after our one year of job security promised by ABX Air expired."

Batson said the workers were told the Lufthansa flight they were associated with was being moved to nights to save money and to compete with FedEx and UPS because it's an international flight.

"They said to be competitive with FedEx and UPS, but in the meantime, we lost our jobs," observed Batson.

Of the 23 who lost their day shift jobs, 20 are women, said Batson. Many are single mothers who are the sole support for their children, she said. Some can no longer afford their rent, and must uproot their families to find more affordable housing, continued Batson.

"Another woman cares for her elderly dad, and several others support their spouses who are unable to work," Batson said.

Addressing city council members, Batson said the "displaced workers are appealing to you for your help and support in any way to reinstate our full-time employment with either DHL or ABX Air."[/FONT]

 

[rotor&wing]

[FONT=ARIAL, SANS SERIF]2/7/2007 11:50:00 PM [/FONT][FONT=ARIAL, SANS SERIF]Email this article • Print this article [/FONT][FONT=ARIAL BLACK, ARIAL, SANS SERIF]DHL replies to worker comments[/FONT]
[FONT=ARIAL, SANS SERIF]Employees transitioning to DHL were briefed on all job options, says company[/FONT]

[FONT=ARIAL, SANS SERIF]Gary Huffenberger[/FONT]
[FONT=ARIAL, SANS SERIF]Staff Writer[/FONT]

[FONT=ARIAL, SANS SERIF] DHL on Tuesday issued a statement regarding the Monday News Journal report about DHL employees who say they're adversely impacted by flight schedule changes at the air park.

The company statement addresses comments made at the Feb. 1 Wilmington City Council meeting by impacted employee Shawnda Batson, who was accompanied by four other affected employees. After discussing the impact on jobs, Batson went on to question whether DHL is living up to its pledges to create jobs in Wilmington in return for state and local incentives.

The company in its statement said, "The DHL Air Park employs thousands of people from all over southwest Ohio and has generated several hundred new jobs since 2004. Consistent with its commitments made in connection with accepting state tax incentives, DHL is continuing to create additional new jobs at the air park."

DHL confirmed Batson's comment that 23 DHL workers were impacted by flight schedule changes. The company statement specifies there are "about eight full-time and 15 part-time employees" impacted.

The company statement said "air network schedule changes ... resulted in restructuring eight full-time positions to part-time and moving daytime positions to nighttime operations. Impacted employees (about eight full-time and 15 part-time employees) were all offered positions at DHL, as well as options for re-employment at ABX Air. In addition, a severance package was offered for the full-time employees, if they chose not to remain with DHL."

Batson in her comments had indicated DHL offered a severance package. She worded it, "So they said either take a severance package and go, or take the part-time and stay."

According to the company statement, "Many of the impacted employees chose a schedule change and are employed by DHL. A few impacted employees selected the severance package. These options were consistent with information provided to these employees at the time they accepted employment with DHL in early 2006."

DHL's statement continues, "At that time, DHL was transitioning its air network operations at the DHL Air Park from ABX Air. Employees from ABX Air [such as the impacted employees] were invited to accept employment with DHL. All employees transitioning to DHL were briefed on all options available to them at DHL or through the ABX Air job assistance program. Human Resources counselors at both companies specifically laid out all opportunities open to these employees including full-time and part-time positions at both DHL and ABX Air.

"In addition, ABX Air employees were reminded that if they left ABX Air they would have a 13-month window to reapply for any existing ABX Air positions if they subsequently decided to leave DHL. It is DHL's understanding that ABX Air is continuing to honor that policy should there be positions available for employees to apply for," the DHL statement said.

At the council meeting, Batson did not say whether she has reapplied to ABX Air, for which she worked 15 years prior to transitioning to DHL.

In addressing city council members last Thursday, Batson said the "displaced workers are appealing to you for your help and support in any way to reinstate our full-time employment with either DHL or ABX Air."

On Jan. 29, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board against DHL Express. The union alleged DHL engaged in an unfair labor practice when the company changed the working conditions - "mandating loss of shift and/or full-time status effective 1/31/07" - of eight workers who were "engaged in union and/or other protected, concerted activities."

The Teamsters' complaint names the eight workers. The eight workers include Batson and the four other impacted employees who attended last week's city council meeting.

Both the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the American Postal Workers Union are trying to organize workers employed by DHL at the air park in DHL's Gateway, International Services, and Shipment Recovery Center departments. According to Batson, the 23 impacted employees worked in International Gateway.
[/FONT]

 

[ABXbooger]

As I understand it, those employees worked at the International Gateway and were employed by DHL, not ABX, as DHL had taken over the "international" stuff a while ago.

Seems like a good move when the union drive is on...

 

[ABXbooger]

ANA Accelerates Expansion of Cargo Operations in 07 Summer Schedule
– more convenient schedule with more flights from Kansai –
TOKYO February 8, 2007 - ANA will add momentum to its expanding cargo operation within the coming summer schedule, which runs from March 25 to October 27 inclusive, concentrating its network on the buoyant Asia market and increasing flights to China from Osaka’s Kansai Airport. Subject to Japanese government approval of its plans, it will up the frequency of freighter flights by 90%, and Available Tonne Kilos (ATK) by 72%, compared with summer 2006.
Also, to provide customers with a more convenient schedule, ANA will offer freighter flights every day from Tuesday to Saturday to the major Asian cities of Shanghai, Dalian, Tianjin, Seoul, Hong Kong, Taipei and Bangkok, and will commence four weekly flights on the new route of Osaka (Kansai) to Beijing.
To secure these growth plans, ANA has applied for Japanese government permission to wet-lease two Boeing 767-200SF freighter aircraft, on ACMI contracts, from ABX Air of the United States. The aircraft, each powered by two GE engines and with a payload of 40 tonnes (9,000lbs), will be used on China routes and short-haul routes to other parts of Asia.
ACMI contracts are agreements in which the lessor supplies customers with Aircraft Crew Maintenance and Insurance.
In line with its Mid-Term Corporate Plan 2006-2009, ANA intends to grow cargo operations into the third pillar of its business - along with domestic and international passenger transport - ready for the expansion of runway capacity at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport in 2009.
Contact:
Rob Henderson, Public Relations: [email protected]
Major Cargo Routes

 

[rotor&wing]

[FONT=ARIAL BLACK, ARIAL, SANS SERIF]Labor complaint issued against DHL[/FONT]
[FONT=ARIAL, SANS SERIF]If true, allegations would mean DHL violated labor act[/FONT]

[FONT=ARIAL, SANS SERIF]Gary Huffenberger[/FONT]
[FONT=ARIAL, SANS SERIF]Staff Writer[/FONT]

[FONT=ARIAL, SANS SERIF] The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has determined there is reasonable cause to believe DHL Express Inc. has engaged in unfair labor practices as claimed by the American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO.

The NLRB Region 9 in Cincinnati issued a written complaint on Jan. 30, accusing DHL of "interfering with, restraining and coercing employees in the exercise of their rights" to a fair and free union election.

The complaint stems from an NLRB investigation into unfair labor practice allegations filed in November 2006 by the union against DHL.

The NLRB is a government agency that oversees labor union elections.

Its mission is to enforce the National Labor Relations Act, which pertains to labor relations in the private sector.

DHL this week released a statement to the News Journal concerning the NLRB's written complaint against the company.

"DHL believes that it has complied with the law, and the company will continue to do so. While DHL regrets the necessity of a formal hearing, it will continue to vigorously defend itself against the Postal Workers' allegations," the DHL statement said in part.

Along with issuing the complaint, the NLRB called for a formal hearing to be held March 28 in Cincinnati.

The hearing will be conducted before an administrative law judge of the NLRB.

According to Assistant NLRB Region 9 Director Laura Atkinson, the NLRB, the union and DHL will attempt to resolve the matter and work out a settlement prior to the hearing.

If the attempt fails, the case then will proceed to the hearing.

Atkinson noted that the NLRB wins a majority of the cases that go to a hearing.

Interestingly, DHL in its statement said NLRB's written complaint "will likely bring DHL Express and the American Postal Workers Union to a formal hearing in March 2007 ...."

The DHL statement also said, "During the course of the NLRB's investigation, the Board advised DHL that the Postal Workers had raised more than 20 separate allegations. Only a limited number were actually included in the NLRB complaint. The Board has decided not to take action against DHL on a majority of the Postal Workers' allegations."

The company statement adds that the NLRB's issuance of a complaint does not entail a final determination of any wrongdoing by DHL, and that "the complaint represents neither a formal finding of fact, nor of guilt...."

The NLRB's complaint contains specific allegations. The complaint alleges company supervisors distributed a memo to employees that said if the union won the election, "all wages, benefits and working conditions would be frozen pending the outcome of negotiations."

The NLRB complaint alleges that another company supervisor told employees their scheduled wage increases would be frozen while negotiations took place.

Yet another company supervisor allegedly told an employee that the employer no longer would have flexibility in enforcing work rules if the union were voted in.

A senior manager on Nov. 8, 2006 allegedly "threatened an employee with discharge because the employee spoke up during an employee meeting in which the union, and the terms and conditions of employment, were discussed."

Allegedly, a DHL director of labor relations during employee meetings "implied that it would be futile for employees to select the union as their bargaining representative by telling employees there is only so much money for labor costs, and for them to gain in one area, they will have to lose in another."

The DHL statement, meanwhile, said the union filed its allegations "within days of the NLRB [union] election scheduled to take place at the Wilmington Airpark on Nov. 30, 2006. The effect of the Postal Worker's last-minute charge was to indefinitely postpone the scheduled election."

The company statement also said, "The Postal Workers will likely attempt to portray the NLRB complaint as a victory, but as the company sees it, the union has only succeeded in delaying the opportunity for DHL employees to exercise their rights to participate in a secret ballot [union] election."

[/FONT]

 

[LarryinTN]

What does that have to do with ABX Air?

 

[erichartmann]

What does that have to do with ABX Air?

Presumably you are referencing the stories related to the DHL international gateway employees.

Depending on whose story you listen to the ex-ABX employees who transferred to DHL when DHL took over the gateway were promised their old jobs back if they returned to ABX within a year and a day. DHL apparently told them they were losing their jobs just after that deadline expired. ABX maintains, per the article referenced above, that they could come back to existing openings, which is not quite the same as their old position. Since I wasn't present when the ex-ABX employees were briefed on transferring to DHL I don't know what was actually said. I wonder if any of the employees has it in writing

 

[AV8OR]

With DHL, you can have something in writing, notorized, and sealed by The Pope himself.........they could care less.

 

[two(2)%]

With DHL, you can have something in writing, notorized, and sealed by The Pope himself.........they could care less.

Yeah. And apparently that includes scope language.

 

[erichartmann]

With DHL, you can have something in writing, notorized, and sealed by The Pope himself.........they could care less.

Actually I was thinking in terms of having it in writing from ABX Air mgmt. They might also ignore it, but if you had it in writing you could at least embarrass them if not go the court. They don't like to be embarrased.

two(2)%, with respect to DHL and the former DHL Airways scope language:

Why do you think they spun Astar off? It was not solely for the citizenship hearings. Wake up, smell the roses, watch out for the thorns.

 

[AV8OR]

Yeah. And apparently that includes scope language.

Yep,

and agreements to create jobs, invest capital, provide a service as advertised, make good on tax incentives, honor contracts......whatever. They have no integrity......zip, zilch, nada. People who have been dealing with them for any length of time know that, and those that don't will.

As an aside.....early on as a new hire, I remember some in my new hire class cheering on DHL (understandably) and the fact that they were so big they would steam roll FedUps regarding the citizenship hearings at the DOT. I remember saying at the time, that you best be careful when you cheer the steamroller, cause if you ever find yourself in its path, you might not feel the same way.