Following an overwhelming 99.5 percent rejection, Teamsters at United Airlines said, “We will accept nothing less than an industry-leading contract that keeps jobs in America," Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien said in a press statement. "United's greedy executives disrespected our members with an insulting, un-American proposal last month. It's time for this company to stop playing games and put real proposals on the table — ones that don't outsource jobs to China but deliver the dignity and respect our members have earned."
The Teamsters Union represents over 10,000 United Airlines AMTs across the country. The group is demanding a contract with top-tier pay, a faster wage progression for new technicians, and protection from United's growing practice of outsourcing critical maintenance work to China and other countries.
"United Airlines is one of the most profitable in the
entire industry, yet it refuses to reward the workers responsible for those
profits with a fair contract," said Chris Griswold, director of the
Teamsters Airline Division. "We will continue to hold United's feet to the
fire until it recognizes the indispensable role United Airlines Teamsters play
in the carrier's success and the safety of the flying public."
"United's previous offer would have slashed our wages
and shipped more of our work to China," said Martin Acosta, a
United technician at MCO and member of the United Airlines Teamsters National
Negotiating Committee. "If United prioritizes safety like it says it does,
it wouldn't be trying to outsource critical maintenance work overseas. We
aren't just fighting to protect our work — we are fighting to protect the
American aviation industry. United has the power to do both by agreeing to our
demands for a fair contract.”
