UPS pilots, represented by the Independent Pilots Association, and UPS Airlines management have just ratified a new five-year labor agreement. The agreement was overwhelmingly approved, passing with more than 91% of the total vote. In addition, 98% of the total eligible members cast ballots. The collective bargaining agreement, which covers more than 2,500 union pilots employed at UPS Airlines, went into effect September 1st, 2016. The new agreement will remain active until September 1, 2021.
Contract negotiations for Spirit pilots, Delta pilots, and Frontier Airlines pilots are still ongoing.
Details of the new UPS Pilots Agreement
The agreement included the following primary pieces:
- UPS Pilots received an immediate pay increase of 14.65%. In addition, they’ll receive an annual 3% wage increase over the life of the contract, for a total compounded increase of 29.04%.
- Captains will now receive a $60,000 signing bonus, and First Officers will now receive a $40,000 signing bonus.
- Pilots will see a 40% increase to the defined benefit pension plan.
- Multiple crew rest enhancements are being made, including:
- Better duty period limits on overnight and international flights
- Added sleeping facilities at major gateways
- Sleep modules inside UPS B767 aircraft
- A commitment from UPS that they will work with the IPA to apply the latest advances and research in fatigue science to pilot scheduling.
Robert Travis, IPA’s President, had this to say, “Important gains were made in all areas of the contract to include improvements in the critical area of pilot scheduling.” Travis added, regarding the fatigue science provisions, that “time will tell whether or not UPS is willing to embrace changes that could lead to a safer operation.”
Brendan Canavan, the UPS Airlines president, said that they were happy that they’d been able to finalize a “win-win contract offer” with the pilots. He added that “Together, we have succeeded in taking care of both our people’s needs and our business objectives.”
Travis said that IPA will continue advocating for the cargo pilots inclusion into the new duty and rest rules, which currently only apply to passenger flying.
