Machinists Union Members Ratify Five Contracts with United Airlines

Sisters and Brothers, this evening approximately 29,000 District Lodge 141 members at United Airlines overwhelmingly ratified five contracts in the Fleet Service, Passenger Service, Storekeeper, Maintenance Instructor, and Fleet Technical Instructor and Related classifications. Unfortunately, the 73 Central Load Planners and 45 Security Officers did not ratify and will now proceed to Section 6 Negotiations.

These five contracts will provide industry-best wage rates at every step of the respective pay scales in each agreement, insource five previously outsourced locations, MIA, COS (ATW and BTW), ATL, RDU and SLC (BTW) and bring the 17 locations currently covered by LOA 9 into the scope of the agreement with no expiration date. We also were able to increase lead and specialty premiums, limit part-time usage, extend system no lay-off protection to tens of thousands of IAM members and obtain a ratification payment.

The ratified two-year agreements also allow us to start Section 6 negotiations in 12 months, one year before the amendable date of the agreements. Early next year, we will begin the collective bargaining process, with a survey and an official call for proposals. We will then appoint a screening committee to determine membership priorities and begin negotiations.

I’d like to thank every District Lodge 141 member who participated in the ratification vote to not only improve their lives, but also the lives of thousands of other airline workers in like classes and crafts. District Lodge 141 members have once again set the bar in the airline industry by demonstrating their solidarity and demanding justice on the job.

I’d also like to thank every member of the negotiating committee for their diligence in negotiating these contracts for our members; Olu Ajetomobi, Joe Bartz, Victor Hernandez, Barb Martin, Andrea’ Myers, Terry Stansbury, Faysal Silwany, Erik Stenberg, and Sue Weisner.

I want every IAM member to know that your committee represented your interests with the greatest of care, attention, and detail. I also want to thank Air Transport General Vice President Richie Johnsen and his staff for their support and counsel. These agreements would not have been possible without the support and resources of the Grand Lodge.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank the United Airlines management negotiators who were respectful to our negotiators and were always willing to keep the dialogue going. While we had many disagreements across the table, United management negotiators recognized that United workers are an asset to be invested in, not a liability to be minimized. For that, they deserve credit.

In Solidarity,

Recording Secretaries: Please print and post on all IAMAW bulletin Boards.