District 142 today announced it has reached a tentative interim collective bargaining agreement with Continental Airlines on behalf of the carrier’s 9,500 Flight Attendants.
“This 26-month tentative interim agreement addresses merger-related issues, increases compensation and enhances job security provisions,” said the IAM Flight Attendant Negotiating Committee in an announcement to the membership. “We have negotiated immediate benefits for the membership and important protections that will safeguard Flight Attendants through the operational integration with United.”
Although Continental and United Airlines are expected to complete their corporate merger on October 1, 2010, operational integration will not occur immediately. The interim agreement becomes amendable on December 31, 2012.
“We wanted to lock in wage increases and merger protections now, while preserving the opportunity to return to the bargaining table in 2012, or sooner if representation issues are resolved,” said the IAM Flight Attendant Negotiating Committee.
A transition agreement that will cover the combined Continental Airlines/United Airlines Flight Attendant group must be negotiated following the resolution of union representation issues. A decision on union representation will not occur until the National Mediation Board determines a single carrier exists for Flight Attendant representation purposes.
Specific details of the tentative interim agreement will be released to the membership and posted at www.go142.org following an October 1, 2010 meeting with elected Flight Attendant representatives from Continental’s Cleveland, OH; Houston, TX; and Newark, NJ Flight Attendant bases.
“The membership should acknowledge the work their Negotiating Committee performed under difficult and ever-changing circumstances,” said Transportation GVP President Robert Roach, Jr. “The decision on whether to accept the agreement now rests with the membership.”
The interim tentative agreement must be accepted by the Flight Attendant membership before taking effect. Voting is expected to begin in mid-October. The Negotiating Committee is unanimously recommending ratification of the interim tentative agreement.
