Union Demands Best-Ever Contract for Technicians and Related Employees

(CHICAGO) – Today, The United Airlines Teamsters National Negotiating Committee began collective bargaining with the carrier for a new contract covering 10,000 aviation maintenance and related Teamsters nationwide.

“United Airlines Teamsters are the best in the business. This contract needs to recognize and reward our members with the improved wages, benefits, and protections they deserve,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “There is no organization better equipped to secure an industry-leading contract than the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and our national negotiating committee.”

“We’ve added more rank-and-filers to the bargaining committee than ever before. We’ve received input from thousands of members about what they want in this agreement. We’ve never been more ready to secure the best contract in aviation maintenance,” said Chris Griswold, Teamsters Airline Division Director and International Vice President At-Large. “We will hold this company’s feet to the fire.”

United Airlines Teamsters are demanding industry-leading wages, a faster timeline for reaching the top pay rate, improved health care benefits, and higher safety standards. The union is getting a jump-start on bargaining by opening the contract four months before it becomes amendable.

“We’re running a bottom-up contract campaign that’s unlike anything that’s ever been seen before at United Airlines,” said Joe Prisco, a Teamsters Local 856 technician and member of the union’s bargaining committee. “United needs to bring their big boy wallet when they come to bargain with us. We’re mobilizing, we’re unifying, and we’re going to do whatever it takes to get what we’ve earned.”

Following negotiations today and tomorrow, the Teamsters and United Airlines will meet again August 20-22 in Denver.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters

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