Alerted by a brake warning light in the cockpit, the captain on a U.S. airline flight last August warned passengers he was making an emergency landing and called for firetrucks to be standing by.

The Teamsters Airline Division said today that it has reached a tentative agreement for a first contract on Thursday with Flight Options, LLC, the Cleveland-based provider of luxury business jet fractional ownership and charter programs. Union members will vote on the proposed contract in March.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters petitioned the National Mediation Board (NMB) today for their assistance in concluding negotiations between Horizon Air pilots, Horizon and parent holding company Alaska Air Group.

The negotiating committee convened on January 11, 2010 at the offices of Local 19, in Houston to prepare for the week’s meetings. Joint meetings were held on January 12th, 13th and 14th. It was a productive week, with a tentative agreement on Article 5, Filling of Vacancies, as well as discussions and some counter proposals from both sides on three other contract articles.

General President Jim Hoffa spoke on a conference call today with Organizing Committee members and worker activists at Continental Airlines, telling the workers that every vote is critical in their campaign to form a union with the Teamsters.

In the wake of a massive earthquake that struck the island nation of Haiti on January 12, General President Jim Hoffa is urging Teamsters everywhere to donate to the Teamsters Disaster Relief Fund.

Republic Airlines pilots, led by Pilot Executive Committee Chairman Peter Pranger, came to Washington this week to discuss the process of getting their own local.

Pilots for Hyannis, Mass.-based Cape Air voted today to rejoin the Teamsters. The vote was ordered by the National Mediation Board (NMB) because management interfered with a previous election.