Astar Air Cargo, one of DHL’s two current US airlift providers, isdemonstrating today against UPS’ pending deal to takeover air transportation for DHL Express
deferred and international package volume within the United States.Up to 70 crewmembers of Astar Air Cargo represented by the Air Line PilotsAssociation, Int’l (ALPA), today join the informational picketing taking place outside the UPSWorld Headquarters in Atlanta for two hours. The workers claim UPS’ deal will lead to 10,000 jobcuts.
This is the pilots’ third protest after one at DHL headquarters in Plantation,Florida, and another one at DHL sponsored Major League Baseball event in New York. In June, Astarpilots had also launched legal moves to try to stop the planned switch of DHL’s North America airvolumes to UPS.
“We want to make the public aware of this proposed agreement that would causethe loss of 10,000 jobs and we believe violates US antitrust laws,” said Captain Pat Walsh, an ALPAofficer who represents 500 pilots at ASTAR.
“Nobody wants to see job losses in the United States,” UPS spokesman NormanBlack said. “But this is not a UPS issue. DHL has to decide where they want to award contracts forair lift. It is not our decision.” Black said that if the deal goes through, it will keep 14,400UPS workers employed in Ohio. He also rejected claims the deal would violate antitrust regulationssaying it’s similar to a deal that FedEx and UPS have to transport United States Postal Service aircargo.
A delegation of Ohio senators and congressional leaders has asked theDepartment of Justice to monitor the proposed deal. The White House has said it will appointsomeone to watch the deal. ALPA took out a half-page ad in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,saying: “UPS can save those jobs — and American families.” Similar ads have run in other cities.They’ve also hired a billboard truck and biplane with a banner to spread the message from downtownto Sandy Springs.
DHL announced in late May, that it would shift the airlift required for allDHL North American domestic air overnight delivery service to UPS – one of DHL’s chief competitorsin the North American market. Currently, Astar carries 50% of the weight of DHL’s US air freight,the association said in a statement. DHL owns a 49% stake in Astar. UPS expects to have thecontract with DHL wrapped up by the end of 2008. According to UPS, the deal would likely be for 10years and could generate up to $1 billion annually in revenue.
