Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) and its members of the United Airlines pilots have finally reached a deal in principle with the carrier, that has offered the pilots up to a 40% raise among other benefits.
ALPA said,
Today, after more than four years of negotiations, United Airlines pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), reached an agreement in principle (AIP) with United management.
It has been tough tough , Below visuals are from december 2022 , when a mass of United Airlines pilots, mechanics and flight attendants did not repond to their boss, when United CEO Scott Kirby stopped to greet them in the act of picketing.
After many such attempts and protests , Pilots have finally agreed to the terms , which they call a milestone for United pilots and includes substantial improvements to compensation, as well as advancements in quality of life, vacation, and other benefits.
Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l - the union , has valued the agreement in principle (AIP) at about $10 billion, it said ,
"Items included in the comprehensive and robust package are improvements to critical aspects such as quality of work-life, compensation, job security, work rules, retirement, benefits, and more."
The deal reflects the leverage enjoyed by labor groups, especially pilots, as airline revenue soars on the strong recovery in travel.
The Air Line Pilots Association said the agreement, which is subject to a ratification vote, would put United pilots on par with counterparts at Delta Air Lines, who approved a pay-raising deal earlier this year.
Members of the union believe that the agreement includes substantial increases in pay, retirement benefits and job security. Now, on the pay front , the deal appears far better than one that United pilots rejected last November.
As per sources , once the deal is approved, pilots will get immediate wage-rate increases of 13.8% to 18.7%, depending on the type of aircraft they fly, followed by four smaller annual raises, according to a summary on the union’s website. Eventually , over the course of the contract, pilot pay would rise 34.5% to 40.2%.
Capt. Garth Thompson, chair of the United ALPA Master Executive Council (MEC), called it an “historic agreement” that was made possible by the resolve of the 16,000 pilots.
"This agreement in principle could not have happened without the steadfast resolve of the 16,000 United pilots,” said . “The tireless dedication demonstrated by United pilots over the past several years ensured our solidarity which was instrumental in achieving this historic agreement.”
In a statement on the LinkedIn social media site, CEO Scott Kirby said,
“We promised our world-class pilots the industry-leading contract they deserve, and we’re pleased to have reached an agreement with ALPA on it.”
Following this , negotiators will work to complete the final language. Once completed, the United MEC will subsequently review the language and vote to determine if the AIP becomes a tentative agreement, which would then be distributed to the entire pilot group for membership ratification, ensuring that every pilot has a voice and the opportunity to shape their future, as per ALPA.
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