MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Federal Express Corp. and its 3500-member pilots union have reached an agreement on a new contract, the company said.

The deal, which FedEx said places its pilots in the “upper echelon of the airline industry,” must be presented to the union board of directors and its membership for ratification.

It is the first contract for the pilots, who have been working without an agreement since 1995.

The pilots were seeking a 5% pay raise retroactive to an undetermined time, and another 19% raise over four years. The company offered the pilots a 17% raise over four years.

FedEx says its pilots make an average of $142,000 US a year. The union says that figure includes overtime pay and its not reflective of a base wage.

FedEx is a subsidiary of FDX Corp. and is the second largest integrated air cargo and express carrier behind United Parcel Service. The company employs more than 145,000 workers worldwide.

FDX Corp.’s other primary operating subsidiaries are RPS Inc., a business-to-business ground package carrier; Roberts Express Inc., a critical-shipment carrier; Viking Freight Inc., a less-than-truckload carrier operating principally in the western United States; and FDX Global Logistics, a contract logistics provider.