Pilots file suit against DHL - Atlanta Business Chronicle:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 - 5:59 PM EDT
Pilots file suit against DHL
Atlanta Business Chronicle
The Air Line Pilots Association International (ALPA) announced Tuesday it has filed a lawsuit against
DHL Holdings USA on behalf of
ASTAR Air Cargo Inc. pilots.
In a suit filed in the Court of Common Pleas in Clinton, Ohio, ALPA alleges that DHL breached its contract with ASTAR pilots. It also accuses DHL of fraudulent inducement. DHL is owned by Deutsche Post World Net, and its United States operations are based in Wilmington, Ohio.
DHL is in negotiations with Atlanta-based
United Parcel Service Inc. (NYSE: UPS) to take over its North American air service from ASTAR Air Cargo, which was formerly DHL Airways.
ALPA alleges DHL is in violation of certain job security assurances under ASTAR pilots’ labor agreement.
The pilots also claim that DHL “fraudulently induced” the pilots union to drop lawsuits against the parcel company by promising job security assurances while the pilots argue the company was in discussions about switching service to UPS, according to a news release.
The pilots union has asked the court to enjoin DHL from switching service to UPS. ALPA also asks for compensatory damages and attorney’s fees.
"We're going to fight this agreement in every way we can-including in the courts," said Capt. John Prater, president of ALPA. "Ten thousand hard-working Americans are depending on us to help save their jobs and communities. DHL has let them down-we won't."
ALPA says 10,000 pilots and other DHL employees will lose their job with the switch to UPS.
An after-hours message left with a DHL spokeswoman was not immediately returned.
Representatives with UPS declined to comment.