Atlas Air Worldwide has confirmed that Atlas Air and Southern Air have prevailed in dismissing two legal actions brought by their pilot union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The union filed these lawsuits last summer, seeking to vacate the management grievance decisions issued in favour of the companies by arbitrators Richard Bloch and George Nicolau, respectively.

“With these rulings, we have a clear and timely path forward to delivering the updated contract that our pilots deserve. This is good news for our pilots,” said John W. Dietrich, President and Chief Executive Officer, Atlas Air Worldwide. “We remain committed to working collaboratively with union leaders to efficiently negotiate and complete the contract.”

The decisions rendered by the US District Court for the District of Columbia upheld the companies’ position that the merger provisions in both the Atlas Air and Southern Air collective bargaining agreements apply. The merger provisions provide for a defined period of bargaining followed by binding interest arbitration for any unresolved issues.

With these court rulings now rendered, the union is required to promptly provide the companies with an integrated seniority list of pilots, which will enable negotiations to proceed more expeditiously in reaching a new, competitive pilot contract.