ABX Air Pilot Union Supports ATI Crewmembers in Strike Ballot Authorization

WILMINGTON, Ohio, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The pilots of cargo airline ABX Air, represented by Teamsters Local 1224, expressed their solidarity today with fellow Teamsters at Air Transport International, whose union leadership recently approved a petition to ballot their crewmembers for strike authorization.

Both ABX Air and ATI are subsidiaries of Air Transport Services Group (Nasdaq: ATSG), and both pilot groups have been in drawn out negotiations with management for new contracts. The ABX Air pilots have been negotiating for more than three years, while the ATI crewmembers, represented by Teamsters Local 747 have been negotiating for four years.

"We strongly support our fellow Teamsters at ATI and will stand beside them in every way we can -- that includes joining them on a picket line," said Teamsters Local 1224 President David Ross.

"We have the same goal. We both want a fair contract," Ross said. "We will work with Local 747 to ensure that ATSG management does not play games with our livelihood. And we will absolutely not stand for whipsawing during these talks."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hard-working men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. IBT Local 1224 represents 650 pilots.