Central and Eastern Kentucky
(2010-02-09)
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LOUISVILLE, KY (WEKU) - United Parcel Service says it's moving forward with plans to lay off 300 of its pilots. Last year, UPS and the Pilots Union reached an agreement on a cost-cutting package that avoided furloughs, but company Spokesperson Mike Mangeot says unless deeper measures are taken. The first wave of 170 pilots will be laid off in May.
"We've been working with our pilots union for about a year on this issue to realize some of the necessary cost-savings while saving pilot jobs. But we've come to the point where we need to realize some hard savings and are beginning the process of furloughs," said Mangeot.
The UPS Worldport Air Hub is in Louisville, but Mangeot says the furloughs would affect pilots throughout the company's global network. Independent Pilots Association President Bob Thrush says UPS apparently wants the union to make contract concessions, but it won't consider them.
"We feel like we can meet or beat their cost-saving expectation with this voluntary program. I believe we've shown factually with actual numbers that we can do that if we could continue the program and continue to have signups once or twice a year," said Thrush.
Thrush says the voluntary cost cutting steps include early retirements and sick bank contributions.
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