Polar’s Pilots Vote to Strike if No Settlement Reached

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ilots for Polar Air Cargo represented by the Air Line Pilots Association said Tuesday they have voted to authorize a strike if contract talks do not result in an agreement.

The ALPA said Polar’s crewmembers supported the union's strike authorization ballot with 99.23% of responding crewmembers voting in support a strike, if no agreement is reached.

Talk of a strike is premature,” said Alan Caminiti, director of corporate communications for Polar’s parent company Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings.

“The company continues to negotiate in good faith and is confident that a mutually acceptable agreement will be reached,” he told Transport Topics on Tuesday.

Negotiations between the two parties began in February 2003. By June of that year, ALPA said it filed for mediation with the National Mediation Board, citing lack of progress.