ALPA BACKS MERGER WITH FEDEX PILOTS UNION

ALPA BACKS MERGER WITH FEDEX PILOTS UNION    The executive council of the Air Line Pilots Association, International, has unanimously approved a merger agreement with the FedEx Pilots Association, the union representing the pilots of FedEx Express.
'    The agreement would provide ALPA membership for FPA members, transition of FPA representation to the ALPA governance structure, necessary negotiations support by ALPA, appropriate resolution of all financial issues affecting all FedEx pilots, and maintenance of a fully staffed office in Memphis.
   “The vast majority of the pilots in this country firmly believe that, with ALPA representation, their interests are better served,” said Capt. Duane Woerth, ALPA president. “Merging our two unions is just one more step in the process of unifying all pilots under one umbrella — ALPA.”
   “With ALPA representation, I firmly believe that the FedEx pilots will be totally prepared for contract negotiations in 2004,” said Capt. David Webb, FPA president.
   The agreement is subject to secret ballot ratification by two-thirds of the votes cast by the FPA membership, and the FPA board authorized that ballots be mailed during February. If the merger is approved by the FPA membership, it must be ratified by May and would go into effect June 1.