The largest pilot union has approved a contract to raise United Airlines pilot wages by more than 14% over the next period. Eighteen months could pave the way for similar significant wage increases across the industry.
This deal reflects the leverage currently held by unions facing the industry'spilot shortage, resulting in worldwide leverage. Cancellations have occurred at, and flights are decreasing.
The Airline Pilot Association said Friday that the council overseeing its relationship with United had approved a tentative two-year agreement targeting approximately 14,000 airline pilots.
The rank and file pilot must approve the contract for it to take effect. Voting will continue until July 15th.
Chicago-based United Airlines is the first major US airline to reach an agreement with pilots since industry-wide negotiations were put on hold for a pandemic. A group of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines unions carefully watched United's contract negotiations as a potential guide to their own negotiations.
Federal law creates a long and difficult process before airline workers strike legally, while major airline pilots picketairports. We are doing pressure control inand elsewhere for greater wage increases. Pilots are asking unstaffed airlines to fly too many flights and complain that more pilots are reporting fatigue.
United's contract, which the union valued at $ 1.3 billion over two years, dates back to early 2022 and will raise a total of more than 14.5% three salaries by the end of next year. The union said it included better overtime and premiums, a new severance pay system, a new eight-week paid maternity leave allowance, and improved scheduling.
This transaction could raise Wall Street concerns about increased costs. Airlines have already seen the cost per seat rise more sharply as travel recovers from the worst pandemic.
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