Air Transport International Strike Ballot Authorized

ATI Crewmembers Fed Up With Lack of Progress

HOUSTON, Sept. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Local Union 747 Executive Board recently approved a petition submitted by the Air Transport International crewmembers to ballot the ATI crewmembers for strike authorization.

The ATI crewmembers have been in negotiations with the company since June 2004 and have overwhelmingly rejected two prior concessionary ultimatums in June and August 2006. There has been virtually no progress on any major contractual provision since the parties reconvened in October 2006.

"After over four years of meaningless negotiations, two failed concessionary demands and interminable foot dragging by company officials at the bargaining table, the ATI crewmembers are fed up with the lack of progress," said Teamsters Local 747 President E.E. Sowell.

"The company needs to recognize the hard-working men and women who make the company profitable and who deserve no less than their peers in the industry. The IBT is committed to doing whatever it takes to achieve a fair and equitable contract for our ATI members," Sowell said.

Air Transport International, a subsidiary of Air Transport Services Group, Inc., is a U.S.-certified air carrier offering air transportation services throughout the world for the United States Air Force AirMobility Command (USAF AMC) and commercial customers such as BAX Global Inc. and AMX Cargo.

International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local Union 747 represents approximately 5,000 flight deck crewmembers, flying for 14 different airlines worldwide. Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.