Pilots why fly for DHL took to the picket lines outside of UPS headquarters in suburban Atlanta today. They say a deal between the former package delivery rivals could mean a loss of more than 10,000 jobs.
Citing dismal first quarter 2008 profits, DHL's parent company -- German-based Deutsch Post -- says a deal with UPS would help cut its costs. The agreement between the rival carriers calls for packages to be picked up and delivered by DHL ground drivers to UPS air facilities nationwide. The packages would then be flown on UPS planes, by UPS pilots. All DHL pilot jobs would be eliminated.
Captain Patrick Walsh has been with DHL for 13 years. He says the proposal would devastate fellow union members.
"We are here today to protest the proposed agreement between DHL and UPS that would give away all of DHL's North American air cargo operations to its main competitor, UPS. This agreement is anti-competitive, anti-consumer and would cause the loss of 10,000 American jobs."Each night DHL pilots carry roughly 50% of the nation's express delivery packages out of Wilmington, Ohio.
If the deal passes anti-trust muster with the US Justice Department, the agreement would cover shipments throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.
