American Pilots Will Vote On Offer

Leaders of the American Airlines pilots’ union recommended Friday that members approve a tentative contract with the nation’s largest domestic airline.

In a 12-6 vote, the Allied Pilots Association executive board said the plan now would be presented to American’s 9,300 pilots for a vote in the next few weeks, said Jim Sovich, president of the union.

Under the proposed contract, American pilots would get raises totaling 9 percent through 2001 and stock options. And within four years, the company would end a second-tier wage scale adopted in the early 1980s.

But throughout the contract negotiations, the stumbling block has been whether American or pilots for subsidiary American Eagle would fly new regional jets entering the commuter line’s fleet. With some limits, the proposed contract gave that role to American Eagle pilots.

American Airlines President Donald Carty said the vote is the first step in allowing the carrier to reinforce its position as an industry leader.

“The tentative agreement reflects compromise and creativity from both sides,” Carty said in a statement. “We worked very hard to find a way to meet our competitive needs and answer APA’s concerns, and this agreement does both.”

The tentative contract is sure to meet stiff resistance from some members of the union, who contend it would give American the right to make drastic job cuts.