December 13, 2018 - System-Wide Day of Action

Date: November 20, 2018

November 20, 2018

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Dear Flying Partners:

We need you – the power of our Union. Our contract is the product of collective bargaining. It is based on two principles:

1)   Our Contract provides job protections, pay, benefits, work rules, retirement, and quality of life in exchange for our commitment to meet the requirements of the job.

2)   Collective bargaining is based on the principle that a contract can be bargained when the company must deal with all of us together. It is a balance of power and the means to have a voice at work when otherwise the employer holds all of the power in the workplace.

The truth is that we all want United Airlines to succeed and we all want to take pride in a job well done. The principles of CORE4 - safe, caring, dependable, efficient – are welcome, but this company mantra is #COREd when management fails to deliver their end of the bargain. #Enough!

 The new cuts to staffing and service in a time of massive profits is the last straw, but the reality is that management is failing to deliver on several fronts. The continuing glitches, contract provisions that haven’t been implemented because of automation limitations are nothing less than unacceptable. The contract is clear and in every case it’s up to management to keep their end of the bargain.

We can file grievances. We are and we will. But nothing substitutes the immediate results we can achieve by exercising our power together. The United Master Executive Council voted to turn our AFA pins red and we are in the process of securing permits for a system-wide Day of Action on December 13, 2018. We are taking this fight public because our fight affects the traveling public too and management should not only be answering to Wall Street. The people on planes are the ones who matter!

We will stand together on December 13th to demand change:

• Stop planned staffing and service cuts. Instead, increase staffing across the system. (Dependable, Safe, Caring, Efficient)
• Fix payroll issues and resolve any discrepancies expeditiously. (Caring, Dependable, Efficient)
• Ensure Flight Attendants have access to hotels in the event of severe weather and irregular operations. We’re an airline, we should start planning for irregularities so crews can be rested and ready when the airline recovers. (Safe, Caring, Dependable)
• Ensure crew scheduling is contactable, and if not Flight Attendants self-release. (Caring, Dependable, Efficient)
• Elimination of Continuous Overnight Duty Pairings, and multi-day all-night flying. (Safe, Caring, Efficient)
• Stop elimination of and re-establish cross aisles on the 76A & upcoming 76L. (Safe, Caring, Efficient)
• Relocate Flight Attendant crew rest seats on the 76A & upcoming 76L. (Safe, Caring, Efficient)
• Eliminate Positive Check-In Now (Safe, Efficient)
• Eliminate trade restrictions and fix excess Reserve coverage requirements that make trading nearly impossible. (Caring, Dependable, Efficient)
• Make training requirements for events to which we are “invited” clear. (Dependable, Efficient)
• Enhancements to Worldwide travel benefits (Dependable, Caring, Efficient)

Being Union means we have the right to enforce our agreement, call out bad business decisions, and stand together for change. Let’s all show management that we stand united in these demands and call on them to live up to their end of the agreement. Your directly elected leadership is unanimous in calling for our collective action. Put on your red pin, call your Local Council to ask what else you can do to help, and let’s all make our voices heard December 13th. 

In Solidarity,

United Master Executive Council Officers