UPS Pilots Vote to Reject Firm’s Latest Offer

United Parcel Service of America’s pilots rejected the company’s contract offer Wednesday, but both sides agreed no strike would be called this year, sparing consumers major holiday delivery tie-ups.

“We don’t want to be known as the Grinch that stole Christmas,” said Capt. Bob Miller, president of the Independent Pilots Assn.

The vote adds to concerns at UPS, which is still trying to win back customers after a 16-day strike in August by drivers belonging to the Teamsters union.

Teamsters were expected to approve their settlement package in results of a ballot to be announced next week.

UPS spokesman Ken Shapero said the company was disappointed by the pilots’ vote but was ready to be back at the negotiating table in 1998.

“The good news for everyone concerned is that this will not lead to a strike by our pilots,” Shapero said.

The primary point of contention is salary. In the latest offer--which only 39 of the company’s roughly 2,000 pilots voted to accept--the company agreed to raise the pilots’ pay by 19.8% over five years.

“This is not a meat-and-potatoes offer out there; this is filet mignon,” Shapero said.

Under UPS’ offer, Shapero said, captains would earn an average of $202,000, co-pilots $132,000 and flight engineers $94,000 by 2002.

The pilots disagreed with those figures and said the company’s offer did not give them parity with competitors such as Federal Express.

The union has asked for a 21% increase over five years.

Miller said he believes the difference can be worked out but said if it isn’t, “we are prepared to strike.”

“If UPS has a strategy here, it’s very much the same as it was with their drivers. The result will be no different,” said Miller, adding that the Teamsters would back a pilots strike, just as the pilots honored the Teamsters walkout.