
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 26, 1994                   TAG: 9410270064
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

BALILES TO MEDIATE FOR USAIR, PILOTS

Former Virginia Gov. Gerald Baliles was appointed Tuesday to help spur discussions between USAir and its pilots over cost-cutting steps by the financially troubled carrier.

Transportation Secretary Federico Pena selected Baliles to serve as a facilitator in the talks, which broke off recently.

``It is encouraging that the airline and [the Air Line Pilots Association] have accepted our offer of a facilitator. It is important that the parties continue their discussions and make progress in settling their differences,'' Pena said.

Negotiations between Arlington-based USAir and its four major unions - ALPA, the Association of Flight Attendants, the International Association of Machinists and the Transport Workers Union - have been taking place since March.

USAir Group Inc., the airline's parent company, reported Monday that it lost $180 million in July-September. It has asked its unions for $500 million in wage and work-rule concessions as part of an effort to achieve $1 billion in savings.

Baliles, who practices law in Richmond, served last year as chairman of the National Commission to Ensure a Strong Competitive Airline Industry.

by CNB