March 29, 2001--
(Atlanta-AP) -- Delta and its pilots are expressing optimism they'll reach an agreement without a strike disrupting air traffic.
But as a two-day union meeting in Atlanta started today, the pilots rejected binding arbitration of their contract talks. That move starts the countdown on a 30-day cooling off period before they can strike.
A senior union official says "an agreement can be reached expeditiously" if the airline negotiates seriously.
And a Delta spokesman says the airline is "confident an agreement can be reached without any disruption of service."
The sides have been in talks for nearly 19 months, but are split on compensation, retirement benefits and a dual-wage system at Delta Express, the airline's Florida-based low-cost unit.
President Bush has said he will block labor stoppages at airlines this year.
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(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
