AirTran, Pilots Union Resume Talks

By Jim Burress

Atlanta, GA – AirTran executives and AirTran's pilots' union presented their cases July 1st to the National Mediation Board.

The NMB's latest response was to hand negotiations back to the pilots and the airline, asking them both to do more work outside of mediation.

Linden Hillman heads AirTran's pilots' union. He says the biggest sticking point remains pay.

"We have put our compensation package on the table in February, and we're yet to receive a counter-proposal from the company," said Hillman. "And according to my calendar, this is July."

AirTran spokesman Christopher White says the airline is committed to working out a deal.

"In any negotiation compensation is the single key factor, the most contentions factor, so it's the hardest one to solve," said White.

Any strike would be months away, as the National Mediation Board would first have to declare an impasse and then a 30-day cooling off period.

Jim Burress, WABE News.