ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times

DATE: Thursday, March 27, 1997               TAG: 9703270062
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: B-8  EDITION: METRO 
DATELINE: IRVING, TEXAS
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS

CONGRESS, NOT PILOTS' UNION, MIGHT DECIDE LABOR LEADER WARNS AMERICAN FLIERS

Who will fly regional jets - high-paid or low-paid pilots - has been a major point of contention.

Union President Jim Sovich warned American Airlines pilots Wednesday that congressional intervention is a possibility if they don't approve a proposed settlement with the carrier.

There is precedent for federal intervention. Minutes into the pilots' strike in February, President Clinton ordered a 60-day cooling-off period and formed an emergency board to come up with a proposed settlement.

Wednesday's closed-door meeting gave American pilots an opportunity to hear about the agreement, which gives them raises totaling more than 9 percent through 2001 and stock options but also allows some American Eagle pilots to fly regional jets.

The re- gional jet issue has been a major point of contention.

The Allied Pilots Association wants its pilots, who earn an average $120,000 a year, to fly those jets, while AMR Corp., the airline's parent company, would rather see its American Eagle pilots in the cockpit. Those pilots earn substantially less.

LENGTH: Short :   35 lines
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:  (headshot) Sovich. color.