Delta pilots, union return to table over wage concessions

<p>The union representing Delta Air Lines pilots returned to the negotiating table with management Tuesday to discuss wage concessions, three months after the talks broke down, the company said.</p><p>Delta spokeswoman Peggy Estes told The Associated Press the two sides met and a new wage cut proposal was offered to pilots, though she would not provide details. She also would not say if anything was resolved.</p><p>Air Line Pilots Association spokeswoman Karen Miller said the pilots union and the airline were still meeting Tuesday night and she could not comment further. Late Tuesday, the union sent a memo to pilots saying it would analyze the new proposal, but did not give any details.</p><p>We do appreciate the opportunity to meet with ALPA, but were not able to make further comment on the discussion, Estes said. The specific details of the proposal are confidential, but the company again stated employment costs are the highest in the industry and must be reduced if Delta is to be competitive and become profitable again.</p><p>In July, the union said negotiations had broken down and would not resume until the nations third largest carrier resolved philosophical differences with its pilots. The union has said it wants a contract extension as part of any agreement to cut wages.</p><p>The airline had previously asked for a 22 percent wage cut and to rescind a 4.5 percent raise pilots received in May and a similar raise due next May.</p><p>The Atlanta-based airline said earlier this month it is selling 11 planes and delaying the delivery of eight more as it reported it lost $168 million in the third quarter. At the time, Delta executives again asked pilots to tighten their belts and agree to wage cuts. They warned that the company expects to lose as much as $275 million in the fourth quarter.</p><p>The airline said Deltas pilot costs are 80 percent higher than No. 1 carrier American Airlines, which won deep wage concessions from workers earlier this year.</p><p>High-level discussions between Deltas pilots union and management were held a few days after the earnings release, but it was not a negotiation session. Instead, it was described simply as a chance for newly elected officers of the pilots unions governing body to sit down with Delta management to discuss the airlines finances.</p><p>___</p><p>On the Net:</p><p>HASH(0x28656a0)</p><p>HASH(0x2865724)</p>