UPS United Parcel Service

Leaders of the Independent Pilots Association on Wednesday called for a strike against United Parcel Service Inc., amid contract negotiations that have lasted about four years.

The vote on whether to strike, scheduled for Oct. 23, would give the union's executive board the authority to request a release from federally mediated negotiations with UPS.

The union represents about 2,500 pilots. UPS said it has successfully negotiated four contracts with pilots in its 27-year history.

"A strike is the least desirable outcome of labor negotiations," the association said, "but after four years of contract talks with UPS we've reached a point where UPS needs to hear loud and clear" that members "are willing to do whatever it takes to secure an industry leading contract."

According to IPA President Robert Travis, "UPS has stalled and delayed, unnecessarily prolonging our negotiations" and has "created a bitter standoff" with pilots.

UPS spokesman Mike Mangeot said UPS hopes to reach an agreement "as quickly as possible," but added that "airline industry contracts often take multiple years to complete" due to the complexity of the U.S. law that governs them.

While airline contracts become amendable, they don't expire during negotiation periods, UPS said. Pilot contracts include salary floors and pension contributions, and they cover safety and rest standards.

UPS rival FedEx Corp. recently struck a tentative deal with the Air Line Pilots Association International, which would last through 2021 and is subject to a vote for ratification by about 4,000 FedEx pilots. Terms of the pending agreement haven't been released.

Write to Lisa Beilfuss at lisa.beilfuss@wsj.com

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 09, 2015 10:55 ET (14:55 GMT)

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