Polar Air Cargo Is ON STRIKE!

[furloughfodder]

POLAR AIR CARGO IS ON STRIKE!

Fellow aviators, please help in getting the Polar guys and gals home. Hopefully there will be a quick resolution to this.

Good luck.

 

[FNG_that's me]

Good luck to all the gents and gentettes at Polar. Know that every pilot worth his/her salt is behind ya!!


Let us know what we can do to help!!

 

[furloughfodder]

Press Release

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The following statement was issued today by Captain Bobb Henderson, chairman of the Polar Air Cargo crewmembers' Master Executive Council, a unit of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA).

"As of 1:34 a.m. EDT, on September 16th, Polar Air Cargo crewmembers are on strike. We have negotiated with our management for more than two years to achieve a fair contract that recognizes our real worth to this company. Polar crewmembers have numerous years of flight experience and advanced education, and are simply not fairly compensated for an airline of this size, sophistication, and profitability. In response to our concerns about compensation, our management has generally offered nothing more than numbers that were well below what our peers are paid. They have continued to negotiate using smoke, mirrors, and slight of hand. We are saddened that management has refused to address our issues at the negotiating table prior to our strike deadline, leaving us with no choice but to walk away from our livelihoods to get the contract that we deserve. We have always been prepared to settle but management has forced our hand to exercise our self-help option.

"We feel that our proposal is fair and reasonable and we remain fully committed to working with management to resolve this situation. After all, we are professional airline pilots, and we want to be flying, not walking the picket line."

Polar Air Cargo crewmembers have been in contract negotiations since February 2003 and in mediation since June of that year.

Polar Air Cargo is a U.S. certificated all cargo air carrier operating a fleet of 12 Boeing 747 freighters in a global scheduled-service network that serves major trade lanes around the world. Polar is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (OTC: AAWW.PK - News), based in Purchase, NY.

Formed in 1931, ALPA is the world's largest pilots union, representing 64,000 airline pilots at 41 carriers in the United States and Canada. Its Web site is at http://www.alpa.org.

 

[Capt1124]

Good luck.

 

[bobs98tlr]

Hmmm, i just saw a 744 come into RFD tonight and head over to the UPS ramp..First time ive ever known of Polar comming in here.

 

[mdanno808]

Hope you're all back soon.

 

[B747FR8DAWG]

Company Press Release

I don't like where this is going, was hoping for a peaceful resolution-Good Luck



Press ReleaseSource: Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc.



Crewmember Strike at Polar Air Cargo, Inc. Not Expected to Affect Most AAWW Operations
Friday September 16, 8:27 am ET

PURCHASE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 16, 2005--Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (AAWW) (OTC: AAWW.PK - News) announced today that its negotiations with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) for a new collective bargaining agreement covering the Crewmembers employed by its subsidiary Polar Air Cargo, Inc. (Polar) have been unsuccessful, and that ALPA has elected to call a strike at Polar.

"While we regret the Polar Crewmembers' decision to strike," said Jeffrey H. Erickson, President and Chief Executive Officer of AAWW, "we have prepared for this contingency. Consistent with our strategic initiatives to place our aircraft where they are most profitable, we have returned three aircraft on dry lease to Polar back to Atlas Air, Inc. We have also placed two Polar aircraft for sale or lease, and are in the process of placing the remaining seven aircraft in other uses, including dry leases. As a result, only seven of the Company's 42 aircraft are affected by the strike."

The final offer from Polar to ALPA called for no changes to the current work rules, pay rules and benefits, and provided for an immediate 10.5% across-the-board pay raise. ALPA was demanding significantly higher wage increases, which precluded reaching an agreement. "Our goal was to put our Polar Crewmembers at parity with our Atlas Crewmembers pending merger of the two carriers," Mr. Erickson continued. "ALPA's demands were simply not justified in any respect, particularly given the current competitive and fuel environment in which Polar competes."

AAWW and the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA), the collective bargaining representative for Polar's Crewmembers, had been in negotiations for an amended Collective Bargaining Agreement since 2003. The parties were released from negotiations last month by the National Mediation Board (NMB) into a mandated 30-day cooling off period. That period ended last night at midnight, after which the strike action was taken by the Polar Crewmembers.

About Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc.:

AAWW is the parent company of Atlas Air, Inc. (Atlas) and Polar Air Cargo, Inc. (Polar), which together operate the world's largest fleet of Boeing 747 freighter aircraft. AAWW, through its subsidiary operating units, Atlas Air, Inc. and Polar Air Cargo, Inc., offers scheduled air cargo service, cargo charters, military charters, and ACMI aircraft leasing in which customers receive a dedicated aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance on a long-term lease basis.

Through both of its principal subsidiaries, AAWW also provides commercial and military charter services. AAWW's press releases, SEC filings and other information may be accessed through the Company's home page, www.atlasair.com.

 

[Kikuchiyo]

Stupid strike questions

Just curious, 'caus I never really thought about it before. What happens to the crews that are out in the system? Especially given Polar's global ops, there's bound to be crews stuck out all over the world. How do they get home? On their own dime? Then what happens when the strike is over - how long until ops can resume given the presumed need to reposition crews. Who pays to put the crews back where they need to be? And do the jets stay out, or does Polar hire other crews to reposition the jets somewhere more useful / cheaper / manageable?

 

[furloughfodder]

There are several reports coming out of Atlas crews crossing the picket lines and operating Polar flight numbers. So far there is no "hard evidence" that has been released confirming Atlas crews flying "struck freight" but rest assured, all flights are being monitored by ALPA and the Polar MEC. There are also a lot of cameras out there.

Atlas crews, please do not jeopardize your entire careers for Atlas Worldwide Holdings. It is not worth it.

I am not accusing anyone of anything. Just stating what is coming down from some of the picket lines that have been crossed. I know the majority of Atlas crews are 100% behind the Polar guys. The outcome of this will greatly affect the lives of the Atlas crews as well.

As far as Polar crews getting home, they will be covered by ALPA, but in some cases Polar crews may require the assistance of crewmembers from other airlines.

Hopefully this will be resolved soon.

 

[dojetdriver]

There are several reports coming out of Atlas crews crossing the picket lines and operating Polar flight numbers. So far there is no "hard evidence" that has been released confirming Atlas crews flying "struck freight" but rest assured, all flights are being monitored by ALPA and the Polar MEC. There are also a lot of cameras out there.

According to the master scab list, isn't there already a few scabs (Eastern, ect)that work at Atlas?

Sad if it's true there are guys doing it. If these scabs crossed before, what's to stop them from doing it again?