verifying, and counting ballots mailed in from every work group and station covered by the Ramp & Stores and Public Contact Employees agreements. Employees of legacy United Airlines, Continental Airlines, and Continental Micronesia Airlines participated in the ratification process and expressed their opinion.

District 141 will now notify the National Mediation Board of our request to enter into federally mediated negotiations covering all employee groups, as previously established within the protocol of interest based bargaining in August 2012.

Membership surveys will be conducted in the coming weeks to confirm the future positions of the Union on issues important to our members. Negotiations will resume based on the directives of the National Mediation Board. District 141 thanks all participating members for their vote.

The democratic process of membership ratification/rejection is the foundation of our Union and a fundamental right of membership. We respect the decisions made by the majority of our members and will proceed with their best interests in mind.

(see iam141.org for more info)

All members should be aware that when casting your vote, you *MUST* return BOTH the BALLOT AND THE STRIKE vote cards and stubs.
Should one fail to vote for one option on each card, ones vote shall be null and void.
Take particular care to read the instructions very carefully to ensure that your voice counts in this particularly important vote!

**POSTMARK DEADLINE IS MARCH, 25, 2013!!**

Note: If you have not yet received your ballot, one of our coworkers tried this:
They sent an e-mail to District President Rich Delaney (rdelaney@iam141.org),
District Secretary-Treasurer Dave Atkinson (datkinson@iam141.org)
and AGC Shawn Humpherys (shumpherys@iam141.org),
stating their company ID number and current address, stating they had not yet received a ballot, and are supposedly getting a replacement sent.
(Possibly via overnight mail) There are only days left in the voting period.

If you have not yet received your ballot, it is strongly suggested that you attempt this method immediately.

See contract.iam141.org for the most up-to-date official postings of tentative agreements.

The most recent update from Rich Delaney prior to the mailing of the ballots and stike votes to the members is entitled, "Employment Security" ...

RICH DELANEY, MARCH 4, 2013—This past week began the in station information meetings presented by members of the Negotiating Team to our membership in advance of ratification voting. Two days of scheduled meetings in Chicago were followed by two days of information exchanges in Houston in which members of specific work groups were given information regarding our Tentative Agreement and its application to their classifications. These meetings are in addition to the station visits and information being provided by District
Officers assigned to locations. Station meetings will continue during the next few weeks in order to provide the most opportunities for members to receive, question, and evaluate the components of the Tentative Agreement prior to casting their vote later this month.

Major issues of concern in these meetings were very similar, recognizing that one station was a s-UA station and the other is a s-CO station. The need for a fuller understanding of the complete job security provisions included in the agreement and the protection they give to various situations and individuals was the number one issue brought up in all meetings, regardless of previous airline experience. The second most asked topic was health insurance and its status in the coming years. Of course members asked for, and got, explanations of other specific areas of the agreement but these two seemed to be the most common subjects of importance to the members attending the meetings.

The components of job security are designed to provide increased opportunity for stable, long term employment for our members and are intended to address the needs of individuals in different circumstances. The first component of the overall employment security protection is the Early Out Program that is intended to allow current employees to leave their position at United with a meaningful financial benefit that will let them move to the
next phase of their lives with a recognition of the investment they have made in United during their work lives. The number of employees that choose this option will not only get a personal benefit, they will also be increasing the security of the active members by reducing the headcount of stations across the system, reducing the harm any company decision regarding staffing may have. The second wave of protection focuses on the essential work done by each of our classifications in our largest stations and prevents the company from turning that work over to an outside contractor. In addition, work currently performed by our members in these stations that does not fall under the definition of “core work” may not be contracted out if it will cause a furlough of our members. As part of this agreement the work that our members do in these stations as the vendors of Express operations is now considered “core work” and will not be lost to another vendor during
this agreement. In structuring the contract pertaining to these large stations this way the agreement now will protect two thirds (66%) of our members from the threat of having their job taken away from them.

The third component of protection focuses on the named stations under what is referred to as Tier 2. This protection provides that regardless of company decisions regarding the contracting out of work in these stations no member will be involuntarily furloughed from their home station during this agreement. In addition, the agreement will require the company to cancel or terminate current vendor contracts and bring that work under the responsibility of our members. This insourcing requirement not only stabilizes the current populations in these stations but will either require the hiring of additional employees or create vacancies for members in other stations that will then create opportunities in additional stations. This insourced work will include, but is not limited to, the current s-CO mainline work that has been contracted out in the past and will allow members access to stations previously denied to them.

Protection designed for the remaining stations and their members is intended to provide options for employees that may be affected by company decisions to contract out work who need and want to stay employed by United Airlines. In addition to the historic furlough rights of members found in previous contracts the length of recall rights has been extended for the vast majority of members and most importantly stops the practice of loss of seniority during periods of furlough for all s-CO members. The creation of a seniority protection date of April 1, 2006 will guarantee members with that seniority or greater the right to continue working for United as long as they are willing to exercise their seniority rights to transfer to other stations and if they do, their move will be paid for to ease the transition to their new location. Expanded and enhanced severance benefits have been negotiated that include more severance pay, increased healthcare protection, and extended pass travel benefits for those employees that opt to sever their relationship with United rather than move or wait for recall. Currently, this type of enhanced severance is available in the case of complete closure of a station or office but will now be an option during reductions that may impact some, but not all, employees in the station.

The question came up several times during information meetings of how the date of April 1, 2006 was established. Of course the IAM was pushing for this type of protection for all employees but we were not able to include all members, many of whom have been hired in the past year. The 2006 date was the maximum date that could be established but encompasses the members of the legacy carriers that helped their airlines through the toughest times of bankruptcy or involuntary concessions designed to avoid bankruptcy.

These specific provisions regarding job security will now provide employment protection for over 90% of our membership where currently there is none.
The above protections are designed to be a defense of our members against the greatest threat facing them today – the company’s ability and proven intent to contract out work that denies our members continuing employment or downgrades their status that affects their earning power. An additional protection included in the Tentative Agreement protects the full time status of members and requires the recalling of displaced full timers in stationswhen full time vacancies are created.

A separate, but important, protection has been expanded and improved regarding employment security. As we all know, contracting out is not the only reason for manpower reductions. Downturns in the economy, schedule changes, technologies that reduce human interaction with customers, all could impact us and not trigger any of the options listed above. Therefore, we have included seniority date protection for members having seniority greater than June 3, 1999 that will require the company to find them employment in their
classification as long as they are willing to exercise seniority.

As you can see there are many changes in this new agreement that our members’ need for defined protection. This issue was the single most important proposal that was received from each airline and each classification within each airline. It provides the most extensive protection found in the airline industry for the classifications of work represented by these agreements. These provisions are not a “one size fits all” approach but instead layer protections throughout the agreement that can be applied to individual member’s circumstances and their willingness and ability to remain employed.

I will address the health insurance issue in the next update.
Please check with your local representatives as to when an information meeting or as station visit is scheduled for your station in order to receive answers to questions you may have before you cast your vote.

(see iam141.org for more info)

*TENTATIVE AGREEMENT UPDATE:

Rich Delaney, February 24, 2013—This past week we conducted informational meetings for all station representatives from all groups and previous airlines to present the details of our recently announced tentative agreement with United Airlines. The meetings were conducted over two days in Chicago and allowed each specific group – s-UA PCE, s-CO Fleetservice, s-UA RSM, and s-CO PCE to receive the same information but evaluate and question how this agreement effects their classifications. In addition, members from Guam, who previously worked for Continental Micronesia Airlines attended and learned how they are becoming part of the entire membership.

The focus of the meetings was on the key areas of employment security, economics and benefits, and work rules. Each attendee receive a copy of the first draft of the contract, with the understanding that final proofreading and corrections will be made to the document prior to mailing copies of the agreement to each member’s home prior to ratification voting.
Employment Security

The employment security provisions became the main topic of discussion as the new construction of the agreement generated a lot of concerns and questions over whether this agreement actually provides, or takes away, protection for our membership. It was necessary to establish the baseline protections that cover our members currently before addressing the changes this agreement causes. The station representatives were reminded that currently, without taking into account any proposed changes, the actual percentage of our total membership that has any identified security is approximately 27%. There is some station and work protection for s-UA RSM and a protection against involuntary furlough for any s-UA member that has a seniority date of January 26, 1994 or greater. Other than that, there is no protection for junior s-UA members, no protection of any kind for any s-CO member, and no protection for s-CMI members. That reality is what made employment security such a critical issue during these negotiations. The information provided showed that as a result of these negotiations over 90% of our total membership will now have specific guarantees and options they may choose to remain employed with United Airlines in the future. Some protections are aimed at the work we do and others are targeted to the members that may be impacted by company decisions. The combination of the voluntary early out program, the protection of current station work and seniority options, and the contractual commitment to insource work currently being vendored in key stations was described in order to get a complete picture of what this tentative agreement actually does to create a more stable environment for members.

Economic

The economic components of this agreement were detailed and discussed. The proper calculation of retroactive pay increases was outlined and its application to each membership group was explained. The concept of negotiated wage increases over a contract that rightfully should have been completed in 2010 was explained and examples given. The equal distribution of back earnings, based on actual hours worked, for all members, not solely s-UA was explained to the Committee members and Stewards in attendance. In addition, changes and improvements in holiday pay, vacation accrual, overtime rates, and premium payments for certain skilled positions was reviewed.

Health Care

The issue of most concern was the future of health care costs and its impact on members. By agreeing to place all employees on a single insurance program it was necessary to explain some of the differences between current healthcare options and future options. The main concern was that although future options will allow individuals to structure their insurance in a way that works best for them and their families, there should be consideration of the impact of moving to that type of system from what is currently available to members, especially s-UA members, and allowing a gradual move to a new program. The provisions of the tentative agreement that require the company to maintain the HMO option and subsidize any cost increases that may be incurred by s-UA members as a result of moving to the single insurance program over the next two years were explained and discussed. The Committee representatives were very clear in their position that this area of the tentative agreement needed more explanation and examples of how it will work in order to fully explain it to their members in their stations. As a result of their feedback that type of information is being put together and will be made available on our website prior to ratification voting. The improvements to the insurance programs covering current s-CO members were also explained so that all members could see how this agreement affects them.

Work Rules

Work rule changes that provide protection for full time work while also allowing for more flexibility in scheduling and trading were discussed as were the strengthening of seniority rights.

The remaining issue of most concern to the station representatives was seniority integration. The committed process of submitting the issues of integration to an arbitrator for final determination was explained and the timeframe for completing this process was outlined.
Informational Meetings

Now that our local representatives have been briefed on the new tentative agreement, plans are being finalized to present informational meetings in stations across the system for our entire membership. In addition to posting information on our website, as it becomes available, specific meetings will be conducted by District 141 Officers and members of the Negotiating Team. These meetings are planned to begin as early as next week and a full schedule will be posted online. We encourage all members to take the time to attend one of these meetings to hear the details and explanations of your tentative agreement for yourself from the people that worked on your behalf to reach this agreement.

Voting

Voting for the ratification or rejection of this agreement will be conducted by mail. The ballots are scheduled to be mailed to each member’s last known address beginning March 11th. The counting of all votes cast will begin on March 22nd. In addition to the acceptance/rejection ballot a vote will be taken to authorize a strike by the IAM members as a result of the outcome of the vote. As was explained in the meetings this past week it is the policy of the IAM to conduct a strike vote any time there is a contract ratification vote.

Click here to see accompanying short video sponsored by IAM141.ORG

(see iam141.org for more info)

SENIORITY INTEGRATION UPDATE:

A MEMORANDUM released February 20, 2013 from Joshua M. Javits, a professional mediator and arbitrator of the Dispute Resolution Services with information about the upcoming seniority integration.

(see iam141.org for more info)

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE:

RICH DELANEY, FEBRUARY 16, 2013

—Our recent announcement of reaching a tentative agreement with United Airlines has proven to be welcomed news by our members.

Although we have only been able to release limited information at this time, our membership has viewed the announcement as the end of the long waiting period for a settlement.

The focus now is to present the full and complete information regarding what is contained in our tentative agreement for a full review of members. The current process we are completing is the proofreading and printing of all materials, not only highlight sheets, for distribution and explanation. We expect this to be completed no later than midweek. At that time we will have a dedicated webpage that can be accessed through our District website, www.iam141.org, which will provide information about the contract, provide schedules of planned explanation meetings, aninteractive way to ask and receive answers to contract provision questions, and an outline of the voting process we will use for the membership ratification vote.

Due to the scope of this ratification, and the fact that a significant number of voters are not currently IAM members and therefore have not been assigned to local lodges, we have requested and received dispensation of IAM Constitutional requirements that will allow District 141 to conduct this ratification vote through the use of mail balloting.

Special information meetings are being scheduled for next week to present the new agreement to Grievance Committee Chairs and Committee representatives for stations that do not have Chairs. These meetings will be held in Chicago no later than Thursday, February 21. Additional information meetings will be scheduled in specific stations over the course of the next few weeks to present the information to all members.

Prior to voting on this agreement members will receive a copy of the full agreement at their home through the mail. There will be ample time given for each member to read, evaluate, and question what this new agreement means to them before casting their vote.

(see iam141.org for more info)

Click here to see a preview of the Tentative Agreement

*TENTATIVE AGREEMENTS REACHED*

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE:

RICH DELANEY

—Today, February 13, 2013, District 141 and United Airlines are announcing we have reached a tentative agreement of labor contracts that will improve the lives of our 30,000 members and their families.

This has been a long and difficult process for our membership as we have worked towards bringing together, under single contracts, the employees of two historic airlines into an even larger and more history-making carrier. The obstacles that have slowed us down over the past four years have been overcome. The future, for our airline and, more importantly, for our membership, is brighter today as a result of these agreements.

The concerns and goals of our members guided our negotiating team through this entire process, and we believe we now have addressed them. Our members now have employment security unmatched in the industry. We have achieved total compensation that is the best in the industry, and rewards them for their past work and sacrifice in the service of their airline. We have stabilized and improved the health care coverage and cost structure for our members and their families for the present day as well as the future. And we have improved pensions so that our members may retire with the security and dignity they have earned and deserve. Our agreement for an early out opportunity will allow members to transition into life after United with comfort and confidence.

None of this came easy. It is the result of dedicated work by the members of our negotiating teams, the focused assistance of the National Mediation Board, the support and guidance of our International’s Transportation Department and General Vice President Sito Pantoja, Airline Coordinator Tom Brickner, and the tireless work of Grand Lodge Representative Ira Levy. These tentative agreements again prove that collective bargaining is the best business practice for creating, maintaining, and improving the relationship between a company and its employees.

Detailed information regarding these agreements is being assembled and will be shared with our members as quickly as possible. Information will be available on our website within days and we will begin the process of explanation and ratification in the coming weeks

(see iam141.org for more info)

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE:

RICH DELANEY, JANUARY 21, 2013

—There is no progress to report from this week’s negotiating meetings with United Airlines. The issues that are now the main focus of our discussions—job security, wages, health insurance and other benefits—are becoming more difficult as we reach the essentials each subject, from both sides. The positions of both the Union and the company are very well known to each other and both sides are now holding on to what they each believe is “non-negotiable”. Both parties are looking to the other for movement that, at least last week, did not happen.

The main issue of the past week was job security. The Union’s goal was to establish and expand the employment security we believe is essential in reaching an agreement. The company is approaching this topic with a view towards their business plan and expectations of a completed merger. Those two positions, so far, have generated a lot of conversation and different ways to approach real security but have not resulted in an agreement that can pave the way for a total, comprehensive contract. We continue to believe that the subject of job security must be resolved before moving to other important areas of our contract. Having a clear understanding of the long term status of our members will allow us to make better decisions relating to compensation and benefit levels.

The company has moved away from the position and statements made by former and current CEO’s about the impact the merger will have on employment. When the two legacy carriers’ leaders testified before Congress, when seeking approval for their merger, they both claimed it would not cause job loss, other than some administrative duplication adjustments.

Now their focus is on the “efficiency and flexibility” of the operation, which may (or may not) lead to employment reductions. In addition, they claim that technological advances in the industry, not limited to the new aircraft design of the 787, must now be considered as potential future factors for job security. The challenge we face is to address these potential effects on our members in a way that permits the airline to be successful—a necessary component of any employment security plan—while managing the job stability people need in order to have a full and worthwhile career.

We will resume our negotiations this coming week with face to face discussions with the company. We will not have the assistance of the National Mediation Board at this time, as we try to work through these issues ourselves. Our intent is to narrow the areas of disagreement even further during this session. When we can agree on the proper and maximum level of security for our members then we can move to the topics that will make our jobs worth keeping—competitive wage rates and superior benefits.

If we are not able to advance these negotiations through this process then we will rely on the NMB to guide us through the next required phases of the legal process.

(see iam141.org for more info)

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE:

RICH DELANEY, JANUARY 13, 2013—Job Security. It is one of the key elements of our current negotiations with United Airlines, and it is proving to be one of the most difficult to resolve. This past week has provided examples of what can happen without real, meaningful security, and also why the company has not agreed to our proposals for job protection and employment security for our entire membership.

At the beginning of the week the company notified the IAM that they were sending out legally required notification to individual employees working at Continental in EWR of a possible reduction in force due to the planned closing of the cargo operation in EWR later this year. The mandated notice must be given to anyone who possibly could be affected by a reduction and so more individuals have received this bad news than will ultimately be impacted. That is no comfort at all for anyone that has just been told they could possibly be furloughed, and so hundreds of employees and their families are now dealing with the reality that their jobs are always under threat.

At the end of the week the company determined that Continental Hub Operations Coordinators work would be transferred to management positions. Over 100 Continental Hub Ops Coordinators will now have to make a decision to interview for the newly created management positions in order to continue to perform the work they have been doing for years, or exercise their seniority and return to Fleet Service positions in their stations.

The natural question that is asked is “Why can’t the Union stop this from happening?” The answer is simple; The current contract that covers both of these affected groups allows for this type of result. I mention that not to throw stones at the previous representatives of the Continental membership nor as an it’s-not-ourfault response. I mention it to show the need to negotiate different protection for our members so that future decisions by the company will have to be made with employee security in mind.

What this past week has shown is that a majority of our members, from all the subsidiary carriers, have limited, and in some cases no, job security. Some members have protection due to the work they do in identified stations, some have furlough rights based on their seniority date, some have only the amount of security the company chooses to give them since they are not covered by a legally binding contract, and some, as we have been reminded of this week, have the protection of a contract that allows their jobs to be shared, transferred, or contracted out. Those facts will not change until we reach an agreement with United that is ratified by our members and establishes meaningful employment protection.

As we resumed direct negotiations with United this week, attempting to finalize the outstanding issues that will result in a comprehensive agreement, the reality of need for employment protection was the main focus. Proposals previously passed to the company were discussed and new concepts of job security were brought to the table. The process of negotiation, implemented by the National Mediation Board, has allowed this to happen. The Interest Based Bargaining approach calls for both sides to participate in discussions, and sometimes debates, over their reasons for proposing ideas or why they cannot agree with the other side’s proposal in an effort to reach a point where both side’s interests are addressed. Discussions this week centered on the Union’s need for stability and long term protection for members and the company’s intent to move forward with the business plan they envisioned when the merger first happened. We have not agreed on a process for the future at this point but both the Union and the company know that this issue must be completed before the remaining issues of compensation and health insurance coverage and cost can be finalized.

Much of the remaining work that needed to be completed regarding areas of the new contract that deal with non-economic topics such as overtime rules, seniority accrual and use, and time off benefits and procedures was accomplished this week, as both sides moved towards focusing all energy and resources on the job protection issue. The members of the subcommittees working on these issues did a great job of sorting through the subjects, some of which had up to six different historic policies and practices, into comprehensive, understandable, and workable solutions that will benefit our members in their daily work lives going forward.

When we return to the bargaining table next week our goal is to fully discuss and finalize the job security components of the contract and move quickly into the two remaining critical areas of compensation and insurance. Our intent is to be in a position by the end of next week to again request the concentrated assistance of the National Mediation Board, at their highest level, to reenter our negotiations and bring them to a close as soon as possible. This is not just the hope of the IAM but is shared by the company, as the request for NMB assistance will be made jointly, indicating both sides desire to complete these negotiations.

In addition to contract negotiations we will also continue to work with the company on the necessary issues related to the EWR Cargo closing and the Hub Operations Coordinators transfer of work to keep the maximum number of members working and represented by the IAM.

(see iam141.org for more info)

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE:

RICH DELANEY, DECEMBER 19, 2012—At the conclusion of contract negotiations between District 141 and United Airlines on December 7, both sides separately reported the state of progress during the week to the National Mediation Board.

The company and the Union both reported significant movement in previously difficult areas of negotiations. The Board, however, did not agree that enough progress had been made for them to return to the talks at this point.

While it was hoped, and requested by both parties, that a mediator be assigned to next week’s negotiations, the NMB determined that would not happen.

While we were not looking for the NMB to impose a settlement on us, we would have welcomed their assistance in moving the negotiations in a positive direction.

We continued to meet with company representatives, without a mediator present, this past week working towards narrowing the differences between our positions

on key issues. Solutions to the critical issues of job security, wage improvement, and benefit stability continue to be the most difficult to resolve.

In the opinion of the NMB, the distance between the company’s position and our intentions must be voluntarily narrowed before a final agreement can be reached with their help. That is what we worked on during the past week, and we believe have made significant progress on those issues.

Negotiations continue this week between established committee teams to bring outstanding issues to a close. Additional discussions between the company and Union regarding the issues of job security and benefits will also continue. The NMB has been kept advised as to our progress and plan for future formal discussions.

Both sides have agreed to bring their full teams together for formal negotiations during the first full week of January.

We congratulate our Brothers and Sisters of ALPA in concluding and ratifying their agreement last week. We are confident now the company can focus their full resources and efforts into reaching an agreement with the IAM that will secure the future of 40% of our own airline.

(see iam141.org for more info)

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE:

RICH DELANEY DECEMBER 2, 2012—After meeting with the National Mediation Board on Tuesday, members of our negotiating team resumed their work in preparation of returning to face-toface talks with the company this coming week.

The focus of the past week was to refine agreements previously made among sub-committees into a single, readable format. These will become the replacement contract, in the event an overall agreement can be reached, and it is subsequently ratified by our members.

As we have noted several times in past reports, subcommittees, consisting of both Union and company members, met to discuss and agree on specific issues such as work rules and benefits.

These committees have reached basic agreements on most issues, but have left the writing of exact and specific language to the attorneys working together in a Language Committee format.

Their work has been advanced to the Executive Committee for review and completion. The language is then reviewed a final time by the concerned sub-committee in order to make sure the final language is consistent with the concept for agreement the committees had.

This may seem like unnecessary, time consuming work—time which would be better spent in direct negotiations, trying to resolve the remaining outstanding issues—instead of worrying about how a contract would read at some later date.

Both the Union and company agree that the process used during the recent ALPA negotiations caused a delay in the announcement of details and the beginning of the ratification process, because agreements in principle were reached first and then language writing was addressed later. We find that unacceptable.

Our goal continues to be reaching an agreement, encompassing all the details of the agreement, and presenting it to our members as quickly as possible.

The patience pilots showed during the four-and-a-half month period between the news of a tentative agreement and the full release of the agreement was impressive. It is not something the IAM wishes to copy.

A second purpose for this week’s attention to contract language is the intent to construct a contract that members will be able to read and understand easily, without the belief they need to hire their own lawyers to interpret it.

We recognize that by negotiating a new agreement that will pertain to 35,000 members of differing experience with labor contracts, it is essential that it is written in a way that simply explains the rights and benefits for members and does not look like the IRS code. This is actually more difficult than it would seem.

So the committees are working to assure their full agreements are included in contract language—without making it overly complicated.

When we resume negotiations this coming week in Chicago, we will continue our work on the formal language process and also work on resolving the subjects that are still open for discussion.

As directed by the NMB, both sides are to report to the Board at the end of the week to demonstrate that real, verifiable progress is being made on the critical issues of compensation, protection, and health care.

Based on those late week discussions, the Board will determine the speed and focus of the next meetings which hopefully will be the following week.

(see iam141.org for more info)

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE:

Rich Delaney, November 27, 2012— Representatives of the IAM met with the National Mediation Board today to give our assessment of negotiations with United Airlines. Company representatives had presented their opinion of the status of talks to the Board yesterday. Our presentation highlighted the key issues still unresolved—wages, health insurance, and job security—and how close we believe we are on each topic. We also noted that previously reached tentative agreements had to be converted to contract language, and there were still some unresolved issues that needed to be finalized.

The Board informed us that, in their opinion, the parties should continue to meet to resolve as many issues as possible before the Board would exercise authority over the talks.
Therefore, it is our intention to meet with company negotiators for the next two weeks, without a federal mediator present. We believe during this period we can narrow the differences between both sides regarding the significant economic issues, and complete the remaining issues. We also expect that the necessary language regarding each topic can be written by the attorneys working on the Language Committee and can be reviewed and approved by our negotiating team.

At the end of that period, we are to report back to the Board as to the progress, or lack of progress, we have made.

At that time, the Board will determine the next step in this process.
Although the remaining issues are of critical importance to our ability to reach a complete agreement, we believe that if both sides remain dedicated to reaching that agreement we can finalize these negotiations during the next session of mediation.

(see iam141.org for more info)

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE:

Rich Delaney, November 25, 2012—Discussions between District 141 and United Airlines continued this past week.
After not reaching an agreement by our target date, we jointly agreed to continue negotiations involving areas of our contracts that had been close to resolution. We have focused on the language that will be in each contract regarding those areas, in preparation for eventually reaching an overall agreement.
The more difficult subjects—Wage Improvement, Job Security, and Benefits—will be the focus of the next meetings of the full negotiating teams.
Those meetings have yet to be scheduled, and will depend on the response of the National Mediation Board to both the Union and the company after our status review meetings next week. The Board has scheduled separate meetings with each side, for each party to give their independent view of the state, and future, of contract negotiations.
We are hopeful that the Board will see the value in resuming full negotiations promptly and allow us to finish our work, with their assistance.

(see iam141.org for more info)

NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD

Press Release

Washington, D.C. 20572
(202) 692-5000

November 16, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD (NMB)
Contact: NMB Public Information Line — (202) 692-5050

Re: United Continental Holdings and ALPA reach Agreement

Washington, D.C. — The National Mediation Board (NMB) is pleased to announce United Continental Holdings, Inc. and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) reached an agreement on November 9, 2012, for a new joint collective bargaining agreement covering pilots at the United and Continental subsidiaries.

This agreement has been approved by the ALPA Master Executive Councils of each subsidiary and sent out for ratification by the company’s pilots. Specific information regarding the contract or its provisions should be obtained directly from the parties.

Mediation was guided by NMB Member, Linda Puchala, Senior Mediator Patricia Sims and Mediator Gerry McGuckin. The National Mediation Board is an independent Federal agency established by the Railway Labor Act, which governs labor-management relations within two key transportation sectors of the United States and U.S. territories: the railroads and airlines.

(See NMB Press Release -- October 15, 2012 )

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE:

RICH DELANEY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012—
Today, November 15, 2012, is the target date for the completion of negotiations
between United Airlines and District 141 for a replacement agreement. We have not reached resolution of many issues, and therefore have not reached an overall agreement that
could be brought to our Members for review and ratification.

The essential areas of wage rates, insurance coverage and cost, job security, and retirement remain unresolved.

While much effort has gone into narrowing the differences
between the Union’s proposals and the company’s response, it is clear that we are not in a position to finalize our contract.

Affordable health care coverage is a concern of both sides and has proven to be a very difficult area to complete. Both parties understand the impact necessary coverage has on the
overall compensation levels of our Members, and we have not found the common point in which the needs of our Members and their families meet the company’s desire to share
and contain their costs. By using the assistance of the National Mediation Board and the process they have developed for resolving these types of conflicts, we have had some success in addressing health care but, as of today, have not found a solution that we believe you would find acceptable.

We have consistently noted that job security is a critical component of any potential agreement. We have made great strides in addressing this issue but still believe more discussion and agreement is necessary.

Meaningful improvement in wage rates and compensation is another area that our negotiators believe needs more dialogue.

While these issues are difficult to resolve, both parties continue to meet to discuss them and progress is being made. Unfortunately, not enough progress has been made to date.

The NMB has determined that a formal meeting before the Board is necessary to assess where our negotiations are headed. We have been directed to present the Union’s assessment in Washington, D.C. on November 27th.

Until that date, we have requested and been approved by the Board to continue face-to-face discussions with United in an effort to continue to resolve our differences. Talks between
the parties will continue tomorrow and into the coming week. This is a recognition by both sides that it is in the best interest of our Members, and their employees, that we continue
to do everything we can to reach this agreement.

(See iam141.org for more information.)

Click here to see the glorious member response to the failure of completion of negotiations on the set Target Date of November 15, 2012.

NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD

Press Release

Washington, D.C. 20572
(202) 692-5000

August 3, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD

Contact: NMB Public Information Line — (202) 692-5050

Re: United Continental Holdings and ALPA reach Agreement

Washington, D.C. — The National Mediation Board (NMB) is pleased to announce United Continental Holdings, Inc. and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) have reached an agreement in principle on a new joint collective bargaining agreement covering pilots at the United and Continental subsidiaries.

The agreement is subject to definitive documentation, approvals by the ALPA Master Executive Councils of each subsidiary, and ratification by the company’s pilots. Specific information regarding the contract or its provisions should be obtained directly from the parties.

(See NMB.gov for this August 3, 2012 IMMEDIATE Press Release)

October 1, 2010
United Continental Merger Creates The Largest Airline

Article Archives - Old News

United & Continental Meet with Machinists Union

District Lodge 141 President Rich Delaney update to the Membership
May 14, 2010

Members at Work

Months of discussion and financial review result in agreement to retain IAM-represented employees to perform the necessary ground handling work associated with the UAX operation in ORD.