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American Airlines, US Airways pilots approve joint contract
By Jack Nicas and Susan Carey

Published: Jan 30, 2015 1:23 p.m. ET
Bloomberg

Pilots from the two carriers that combined to form American Airlines Group Inc. approved a joint contract Friday after months of negotiations, a major step in the company’s integration as the world’s largest airline.

Nearly 66% of the pilots who voted approved the new five-year contract, the Allied Pilots Association said Friday. The union, which represents roughly 10,000 pilots from the pre-merger American and 5,000 from merger partner US Airways, said almost 95% of its members voted.

The vote allows American AAL, -6.07% and its pilots to avoid arbitration, which likely would have delayed the airline’s merger integration and left its aviators with less pay than the proposed contract. American management, made up mostly of former US Airways executives, has stressed the importance of labor harmony in the company’s integration.

The world’s top airline by traffic since the 2013 merger, American now has reached common contracts with two of its most important employee groups, including 24,000 flight attendants in addition to the 15,000 pilots. The carrier is still working toward contracts with several other work groups representing more than 50,000 employees.

Under the new contract, American pilots will receive pay raises this year of about 23%, and 3% annual raises in subsequent years.


http://www.marketwatch.com/story/american-airlines-us-airways-pilots-approve-joint-contract-2015-01-30-131032356