21.   But an important test came last summer, when the pilots union and the International Association of Machinists started negotiating with the company for wage increases.

22.   Bush downplayed a proposal from a pilots union to arm commercial airline pilots.

23.   But he rejected an idea proposed by the pilots union to cut work hours in order to keep more pilots on the payroll.

24.   But the leader of the pilots union accused management of dragging its feet and said that its offer provided the company with more than the savings it needed.

25.   But they are not likely to press the sensitive issue too hard, at least for now, with the airline pilots unions.

26.   Clinton also relayed his desire for Northwest Airlines and the pilots union to settle their strike, speaking from Air Force One to Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater.

27.   Cincinnati-based Comair and its pilots union will resume negotiations in Washington Wednesday, the first talks since the strike began.

28.   Clearance of the aid for Iberia comes as the deadline arrives for negotiation of a labor dispute between the state airline and its pilots union.

29.   Delta Air Lines and its pilots union reached a tentative contract agreement Sunday, avoiding presidential intervention and wiping out the threat of a strike this spring.

30.   Delta and its pilots union are in the middle of contract negotiations, and the pilots presented an opening salary and benefit proposal earlier this month.