United Airlines faces potential worker strike

United Airlines faces potential worker strike

Already under a lot of pressure due to increasing fuel prices and other problems, United Airlines might be looking for more troubles in the future. The workers of the company have reportedly said that they may begin random flight disruptions and strikes during the July 4 weekend in response to the airline’s decision to turn over its pension plan to the federal government.

This is a bad time for such a strike considering United is looking for a very busy year after years of slump after the 9/11. The airline said its bookings show that its flights are 90 percent full heading into the weekend. This is quite an impressive improvement over their last year figures. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation has taken over the flight attendants’ pension plan yesterday.

This means that the airline company would have to change the terms of its contract with the flight attendants, enabling them to participate in an organized job disruption. Greg Davidowitch, president of United’s flight attendants union said in a statement: “Now they’ve done it. United management, working hand-in-glove with the PBGC, has changed our contract without our consent. This flagrant foul has triggered our right to strike.”

United representative Jean Medina said in a statement from the company: “We have a ratified agreement with the. We don’t believe this changes that.” The airline company also said that they were prepared both legally and operationally to make sure we can meet our customers’ traveling needs.