DHL, the global logistics company, has redirected freighter flights away from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) to mitigate potential disruptions caused by an ongoing strike involving over 1,100 DHL Express workers.
The strike, initiated on December 7, is being led by members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union.
Despite coinciding with the peak period for air cargo volumes, DHL Group assured in a statement that it has been able to “maintain our operations at full capacity across our US network.” CVG serves as the primary international hub for DHL Express in the United States, facilitating 130 daily DHL flights and housing a fleet of 60 DHL aircraft.
CVG plays a crucial role in handling shipments destined for the US, Canada, Mexico, and Latin America, processing approximately 50 million international shipments annually.
In response to the strike, DHL Express is actively engaged in contract negotiations with the US Teamsters representing a segment of its employees at the Cincinnati Global Hub.
The company alleges that the Teamsters initiated job actions in CVG and various other pick-up and delivery locations across the US to influence negotiations.
DHL Group disclosed that it had implemented contingency plans, including the re-routing of flights and volume away from CVG to other strategic DHL locations. Replacement staff have also been deployed to different locations to ensure the maintenance of full-service capabilities for customers.
The company stated, “Thanks to these preemptive and proactive steps, we can confirm that we have been able to maintain our operations at full capacity across our U.S. network.
“Our staffing levels at CVG have remained at a high level, and we anticipate no significant disruptions to our service during the coming week.”
The ongoing strike was confirmed by the Teamsters union to Air Cargo News, with no agreed-upon deadline for negotiations between DHL Express and the union.
DHL Group emphasized its commitment to working with the Teamsters Union on contract negotiations, while also acknowledging the representation of more than 6,000 members at DHL across the US by the union.
