Polar Air Cargo, Pilots' Union Agree to End Strike

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olar Air Cargo and the Air Line Pilots Association have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, ending a two- week-old strike, Polar said late Sunday.

The tentative agreement is now subject to ratification by the rank and file Polar crewmembers, which the company said was expected to be completed by Wednesday.

Polar is a subsidiary of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings.

“I am very pleased that we have reached a settlement in this matter," said Jeffrey Erickson, Allied’s chief executive officer. “We can now focus our energies on the upcoming peak shipping season and continued extensive work for the military.”

The parties began negotiations in 2003 for an amended collective bargaining agreement. Since July 2003, negotiations have been under the direction of a mediator appointed by the National Mediation Board.

In mid-August, NMB released the parties into the 30-day cooling off period mandated by the Railway Labor Act. Polar crewmembers went on strike on Sept. 16.

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