Pilots at AMR Corp.'s American Airlines rejected a tentative contract from the carrier by a wide margin yesterday, leaving a major issue unresolved with the bankrupt airline's most powerful employee group, Reuters reported yesterday. Pilots could face stricter terms should the judge overseeing American's bankruptcy case now allow the carrier to end its current contract with the pilots union. The Allied Pilots Association said 61 percent of pilots that voted, or 4,600, rejected the tentative contract while 2,935 pilots voted in favor. The agreement, which included pay increases and the offer of a 13.5 percent equity stake in the New American, represented the carrier's best and last offer to pilots after years of unsuccessful talks.
