United pilots tone down labor tactics
By Joshua Freed, APThursday, January 7, 2010
United pilots tone down labor tactics
It looks like the pilot union at United Airlines will be trying to get along better with the airline’s management.
The union’s new chairman, Wendy Morse, says she’ll be looking to work with United management to restore pay cuts made in 2005 when United was in bankruptcy protection.
Under the previous chairman, United sued the union and a few pilots over allegations of a work slowdown. Now, the union has dropped a Web site dedicated to criticizing the CEO. Morse also says she’s dropped the practice of telling United pilots to take off their hats around managers as a sign of protest.
The new approach comes as the pilots are negotiating their first new contract since 2005. Airline negotiations can drag on for years, so a final deal is not expected soon.
