----- Original Message ----- From: "Dan Wilhoft" <dcjrwil@yahoo.com> To: <AIRLINE@LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU> Sent: Monday, February 11, 2002 7:19 PM Subject: Re: UAL mechanics may reject contract, back strike > I agree Walter I am Supprised that UAL has not started > to auction off thier international routes to the > highest bidder like EA,PA and TWA did...Dan...PHL > --- W Wilson <wlw-jr@att.net> wrote: > > The next step to the beginning of the end of UAL? > > > > Walter > > DCA > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "W Wilson" <wlw-jr@att.net> > > To: <AIRLINE@LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU> > > > > > > > By John Crawley > > > > > > WASHINGTON, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Mechanics at United > > Airlines (UAL) could > > vote > > > on Tuesday to reject a contract offer based on > > recommendations of a > > > presidential emergency board and, if so, would > > later vote to strike, their > > > union's president said. > > > > > > "My sentiment tells me they will reject it," Tom > > Buffenbarger told > > reporters > > > on Monday, referring to the 15,000 mechanics and > > related workers who will > > > vote on the plan that would give them pay raises > > of up to 37 percent. > > > > > > The mechanics have not had a raise since 1994. > > > > > > Buffenbarger said the vote could be extremely > > close. But he was clear > > about > > > what would happen if the company's proposal > > failed. > > > > > > "If they reject the contract, they will vote to > > strike," Buffenbarger > > said. > > > The earliest a strike could occur would be on Feb. > > 20. > > > > > > > > > The airline would not predict how the mechanics > > would vote. > > > > > > "We're not going to jump ahead of ourselves. We're > > going to see what > > happens > > > tomorrow," United spokeswoman Susana Leyva said. > > > > > > Buffenbarger also said there would "be hell to > > pay" if Congress intervened > > > in the labor organization's dispute with United by > > extending the deadline > > > for a settlement or imposing contract terms. > > > > > > "That is not a threat. That's a promise," > > Buffenbarger told a news > > > conference. > > > > > > He was not specific about what action the > > International Association of > > > Machinists would take, but suggested it would work > > to rule if terms were > > > imposed. > > > > > > Congress has never acted on an airline contract > > dispute, and Buffenbarger > > > said he thought lawmakers would not interfere this > > time if asked to do so > > by > > > the White House. > > > > > > A presidential emergency board recommended last > > month that the No. 2 > > > carrier, a unit of UAL Corp. (UAL), boost pay for > > the mechanics to bring > > > into line with other industry leaders. That would > > be roughly $35.14 per > > hour > > > for the most-senior mechanics, up from $25.60. > > > > > > But the true value of the increase would be > > delayed if the financially > > > struggling airline sought wage concessions across > > the board to reduce > > costs. > > > > > > United posted a staggering net loss of $2.1 > > billion in the fourth quarter > > of > > > 2001 as it struggled with declining traffic due to > > the Sept. 11 attacks > > and > > > the recession. > > > > > > Other airlines also have posted huge losses, but > > there have been signs of > > > recovery recently with the gradual return of > > business and savings from > > deep > > > cost cutting in recent months. > > > > > > The union is unhappy with an emergency board > > recommendation to defer > > > retroactive pay for mechanics and with proposals > > on retirement benefits. > > The > > > machinists also say the plan contains no job > > security provisions and they > > > reject the proposal's blueprint for wage > > concessions. > > > > > > Buffenbarger signaled the union was willing to do > > its part in any giveback > > > plan to save the airline from potential > > bankruptcy, but vigorously > > rejected > > > the government writing that formula into its > > contract recommendation. > > > > > > The airline's contract proposal could be approved > > with a simple majority > > of > > > "yes" votes nationwide. A strike would need > > two-thirds support, and > > > Buffenbarger said it would pass easily. > > > > > > President George W. Bush appointed the emergency > > board in December to > > > resolve the contract dispute at United. Before > > then, the union had voted > > > overwhelmingly to strike. But the White House > > intervention delayed any > > > walkout for 60 days. > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Send FREE Valentine eCards with Yahoo! Greetings! > http://greetings.yahoo.com >