=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SF Gate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/news/archive/2002/05/10/f= inancial1603EDT0242.DTL ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday, May 10, 2002 (AP) Airline's ground workers vote on pact (05-10) 13:46 PDT CHICAGO (AP) -- United Airlines ground workers voted Friday on a labor agreement that, barring an unlikely rejection, would settle the carrier's last unresolved contract and would clear the way for talks on companywide wage concessions. The pact, agreed to last month, calls for pay hikes totaling 29 percent over four years to United's 25,000 ramp workers, ticket and reservations agents, security guards and food service employees. Union leaders unanimously recommended ratification and approval was expected. Results were to be announced late Friday night following the end of voting at union halls across the country. "After more than two years of negotiations, it will be nice to finally have contracts in place for all of our members at United," said Joe Tiberi, spokesman for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. "Then we can start working toward the future." The accord, extending through Nov. 1, 2004, calls for employees to get a 15 percent raise retroactive to July 12, 2000, a 7 percent increase on the date of signing and 3.5 percent increases in 2003 and 2004. United's pilots, mechanics and aircraft cleaners already have received hefty raises during a turbulent two-year period for the Elk Grove Village, Ill.-based airline. But the carrier wants them to give some back to help it cut costs and pull out of the worst financial tailspin in its history. Chief executive officer Jack Creighton is expected to convene more recovery talks soon with union leaders, this time including the IAM, which had refused to participate until the ground workers' deal was ratified. Creighton scored a key initial breakthrough in the concession push last month when the powerful pilots' union agreed to work with the airline to develop a recovery program, which likely would include temporary pay cuts. The CEO has said he wants to nail down an agreement with United employees before retiring in the next few months. Employees own 55 percent of the carrier and hold three board seats. United officials declined comment on Friday's vote pending the outcome. The airline has been losing $4 million to $5 million a day. In trading Friday on the New York Stock Exchange, shares of United's parent UAL Corp. fell 17.4 percent, or $2.00 a share, to close at $9.50. On the Net: United at www.united.com Union at www.iam141.org/ual.htm =20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2002 AP