American Airlines Strikes Labor Deal With Pilot Union

The pilots union at American Airlines has agreed to put up for a vote a five-year contract proposal that would boost pay by more than 26% and offer smaller raises in later years. The board of the Allied Pilots Association agreed to accept the basic terms of the deal just before the midnight deadline late Saturday, before the offer was pulled and negotiations moved to arbitration. The proposal's language must be completed and voted on by pilots, according to a statement on the union's website. 'Our goal was to conclude negotiations promptly and deliver the best possible result for our pilots,' the statement said. American Airlines Group Inc., based in Fort Worth, Texas, is pushing to reach agreements with its labor unions as part of its 14-month effort to combine operations with merger partner US Airways.