Unitd TA passes

[CRJDriver]

PRESS RELEASE
Dec. 15, 2012, 11:12 a.m. EST
United Pilots Ratify Agreement

CHICAGO, Dec. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- United Airlines today announced that pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), ratified a new joint labor agreement for all United Airlines pilots.

"The ratification of this agreement is an important step forward for our pilots and the company," said Fred Abbott, senior vice president of flight operations. "We look forward to the efficiencies and teamwork we will achieve as our pilots become one group once they complete their seniority integration."

The agreement runs through December 2016 and covers nearly 10,000 United pilots.

"I want to thank both negotiating teams and the National Mediation Board for their efforts in reaching this agreement that provides both improvements for our pilots and increased competitiveness for United," said Mike Bonds, executive vice president of human resources and labor relations. "We are making good progress working together with our remaining employee groups to reach joint agreements to become a fully combined workforce."

Since merging with Continental, United has made significant progress in bringing together work groups. The company has reached several agreements including a combined agreement for pilots, agreements with flight attendants from the United, Continental and CMI subsidiaries; and agreements with technicians from the United, Continental and CMI subsidiaries.

About UnitedUnited Airlines and United Express operate an average of 5,557 flights a day to 378 airports on six continents from the airline's hubs in Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Guam, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco, Tokyo and Washington, D.C. In 2011, United carried more traffic than any other airline in the world, and operated more than two million flights carrying 142 million passengers. United is upgrading its cabins with more flat-bed seats in first and business class and more extra-legroom economy-class seating than any other airline in North America. United now has 180 airplanes featuring DIRECTV�, offering customers more live television access than any other airline in the world. United operates nearly 700 mainline aircraft and has orders for more than 270 new aircraft deliveries through 2022. In 2012, United was the first North American airline to take delivery of new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. United was rated the world's most admired airline on FORTUNE magazine's 2012 airline-industry list of the World's Most Admired Companies. Readers of Global Traveler magazine have voted United's MileagePlus program the best frequent flyer program for eight consecutive years. United is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 193 countries via 27 member airlines. More than 85,000 United employees reside in every U.S. state and in countries around the world. For more information, visit united.com or follow United on Twitter and Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol UAL.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/united-pilots-ratify-agreement-2012-12-15

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

The MEC's letter:

December 15, 2012

Dear Fellow Pilots,

This morning, with 97.66 percent of eligible pilots voting, 67 percent voted in favor of ratifying the tentative agreement to become our Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement. We are pleased to congratulate our pilots on this new agreement that puts an end to our separate concessionary and bankruptcy-era contracts. This agreement will begin to immediately deliver gains through its industry-leading compensation, job protection, work rule, and retirement and benefits provisions. Many economic provisions, including pay rates, per diem, contributions to retirement and others will begin not only immediately, but will be retroactive back to Nov. 30, 2012. Other provisions will require more time to implement, under the watchful eye of our ALPA pilots on the joint implementation team. For our pilots and their families, this agreement is a positive step towards a new future.

This vote also confirms the strengthening unity that continues to bring our two pilot groups together as one. We voted jointly not just for a new contract, but for a new future. From the beginning of this process more than two and a half years ago, we have worked in a coordinated fashion with our Joint Negotiating Committee, subject matter experts, professional attorneys and staff on the contract. We have proven our solidarity through joint efforts with informational picketing, family awareness events, legislative work and communications. We, as Continental and United pilots, have demonstrated throughout this effort that our interests as professional airline pilots are aligned, and we have recognized that we are stronger for it. Today, we are another step closer to a new future together as a single pilot group — pilots of the new United.

Now that the ratification vote is complete, we know that many of our pilots have questions about the new agreement and its implementation in particular. Many of you may be wondering about what happens next in the merger process, including seniority list integration. We will be putting together new information on these and other topics. Until that can be prepared, please continue to look through the FAQ section of the website at www.unitedpilotagreement.com for information related to the agreement. We will keep the website active as a conduit to answering your questions and providing additional information on our new JCBA.

For those of you who took the time to vote, to attend a Town Hall meeting, to read the TA, visit the website and ask questions, we thank you. Regardless of how you voted, you exercised your right as a union member to act. We would like to personally thank the Joint Negotiating Committee and the subject matter experts for the job they have done. The many, many volunteers who worked tirelessly these past few weeks during the ballot window to get you information also deserve our thanks: the Communications Committees, the P2P Fact Team and Fact Checkers, your Local Council representatives, Family Awareness representatives, and the countless others who worked behind the scenes without fanfare to gather data, create websites and calculators, etc. This is ALPA – pilots working for pilots. And we thank the ALPA staff who supported our volunteers.

We may have closed one chapter, but we have opened another. There will be many more chapters to come. We surely must recognize by now that we are stronger and better together than we are separately. Let’s move forward together.

In Unity,



Captain Jay Heppner
Chairman, United MEC

Captain Jay Pierce
Chairman, Continental MEC

 

[WestIndian425]

That's even a bigger margin than what I've been hearing from some of those pilots!

 

[wildfreightess]

That's even a bigger margin than what I've been hearing from some of those pilots!

From every Continited pilot I've talked to, it was a "crap sandwich." Funny that it passed by such a large margin.... much like the DL and AMR TA's. I haven't talked to a single pilot who voted "Yes", yet they all still passed.

 

[LaserRacer]

From every Continited pilot I've talked to, it was a "crap sandwich." Funny that it passed by such a large margin.... much like the DL and AMR TA's. I haven't talked to a single pilot who voted "Yes", yet they all still passed.

Funny how that seems to work... It's like black magic or something!

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

I haven't talked to a single pilot who voted "Yes", yet they all still passed.

That's because pilots are all type A personalities who get off on talking tough, when in reality, they just want their money.

 

[WestIndian425]

That's because pilots are all type A personalities who get off on talking tough, when in reality, they just want their money.

LMBO!!! We don't have to all be Type A though!

I, too, have spoken to a CO pilot and while disappointed, he's actually glad this is over with so that they can move forward.

 

[kellwolf]

LMBO!!! We don't have to all be Type A though!

I, too, have spoken to a CO pilot and while disappointed, he's actually glad this is over with so that they can move forward.

If only US Airways could learn that lesson.....

Anyone have a link to details on the new JCBA?

 

[F9DXER]

Now it is the dispatcher's turn.

 

[Kingairer]

I have no idea why anyone wouldve voted for this, they couldve just kept negotiating for three more years and come out with the same thing.

 

[Kingairer]

If only US Airways could learn that lesson.....

Anyone have a link to details on the new JCBA?

USAirways east guys are playing ole Dean Smith's UNC four corner offense and running out the clock.

 

[WestIndian425]

I have no idea why anyone wouldve voted for this, they couldve just kept negotiating for three more years and come out with the same thing.

Are you serious? Three more years?

 

[Kingairer]

Are you serious? Three more years?

No Wasnt serious. That was sarcasm for...
They had such a steep hill to climb they probably got all they couldve, and had they voted this down, it probably wouldve dragged on for years, driven down morale, and it probably wouldve looked similar to this in the end anyways.

 

[Cruise]

Here are the cliff notes for those interested

 

[WestIndian425]

No Wasnt serious. That was sarcasm for...
They had such a steep hill to climb they probably got all they couldve, and had they voted this down, it probably wouldve dragged on for years, driven down morale, and it probably wouldve looked similar to this in the end anyways.

LOL!!! Carry on then!

 

[kellwolf]

I see the medical plans are 80/20 plans. PLEASE tell me it's not HRA stuff. We're fighting to get that fixed over here since, essentially, a lot of guys are seeing their healthcare costs go up 300% from 2012 to 2013. At least it's covered at day one. That's a HUGE improvement over what CAL had before.

 

[HRDiva]

I see the medical plans are 80/20 plans. PLEASE tell me it's not HRA stuff.

80/20 just means the company is paying 80% of the premium and the employee is paying 20%. Then it says the current plans are locked in--whatever that means only a UAL/CAL employee would know. Most employers still offer traditional PPO, POS plans in addition to the HDHP that your company only offers. I agree that the day one coverage is a huge improvement for the CAL side; although their six month waiting period would have to be reduced in 2014 anyway.

 

[kellwolf]

80/20 just means the company is paying 80% of the premium and the employee is paying 20%. Then it says the current plans are locked in--whatever that means only a UAL/CAL employee would know. Most employers still offer traditional PPO, POS plans in addition to the HDHP that your company only offers. I agree that the day one coverage is a huge improvement for the CAL side; although their six month waiting period would have to be reduced in 2014 anyway.

Wasn't sure. On out HRA, we're 80/20 on co-insurance after we meet the fairly high deductible. That's about the only thing I miss about Pinnacle so far, the health coverage.