union

Tag Archives for union.

Must-Pass Shutdown Funding Bill Sneaks In Airline Policy Changes — “Two Pilots Forever” And A DOT Review To Chill Joint Ventures

by Gary Leff on January 23, 2026

Jan 23 2026

A must-pass funding package to avoid a January 30 government shutdown is carrying quiet airline policy moves that will matter far more than the headlines about FAA dollars.

The major pilot union is celebrating “two fully rested pilots at all times,” but the language is really a spending restriction that prevents the FAA from studying new technologies that might improve safety, and separate language orders the Department of Transportation to revisit decades-old international aviation policy that has worked to open market access and foster competition.

Southwest Sued For Not Paying Flight Attendants Overtime — Does A Union Contract Override State Wage Law?

by Gary Leff on January 21, 2026

Jan 21 2026

Southwest is being sued by a former flight attendant who says the airline did not pay overtime required under Illinois law because its pay system focuses on flight time, not total duty time. Southwest argues the claim cannot proceed in court because flight attendants are unionized and the dispute belongs under the Railway Labor Act framework.

United 737 Runs Off Runway in Houston—Union Coaches Pilot While Passengers Evacuate: “Don’t Say Another Word”

by Gary Leff on January 17, 2026

Jan 17 2026

A United 737 MAX ran off the runway after landing in Houston, and the newly released incident report includes cockpit voice recorder audio from the aftermath. In the recording, the captain calls ALPA while passengers are still evacuating and is told not to “say another word,” then coached on what to do next—raising uncomfortable questions about how quickly self-protection can take priority even while the situation is still unfolding.

United Airlines Puts the Union Contract Tradeoff in Writing for Flight Attendants — Ground Pay Tied to “Algorithm Scheduling” and Reserve Pay Cuts

by Gary Leff on January 9, 2026

Jan 09 2026

United Airlines’ latest update to flight attendants makes the trade explicit: the union’s new pay proposal is “too expensive,” and anything better than the rejected deal will require offsets. United hints it can move on ground-time pay and shorter reserve windows—but only if flight attendants accept “algorithm scheduling” and reserve pay changes.

71% Of United Flight Attendants Rejected a Deal—Now They’re Demanding Immediate Pay Increases Anyway

by Gary Leff on January 7, 2026

Jan 07 2026

United flight attendants voted down a union-endorsed contract by 71% after five years without a raise—and now the union is demanding pay increases immediately, before a new deal is negotiated. United is pushing back, arguing that any added pay or “quality of life” improvements have to come as part of a full contract package with tradeoffs on work rules.

Delta Cancelled 689 Flights in Three Days — The Union Contract Catch-22 That Left Planes Without Pilots

by Gary Leff on December 30, 2025

Dec 30 2025

Delta cancelled 689 flights in just three days, and the problem wasn’t lingering weather — it was a union-contract catch-22 that made last-minute pilot staffing break down. A chain of rules around automated trip offers and “auto-accept” windows created a timing trap: open trips piled up faster than schedulers could award them, and cancellations followed even as conditions normalized.

SkyWest Labor Fight Goes “Computer Fraud”: Judge Greenlights Conspiracy Claim Against Flight Attendant Union AFA-CWA

by Gary Leff on December 14, 2025

Dec 14 2025

A SkyWest labor battle just swerved into “computer fraud” territory. A federal judge let a conspiracy theory under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act move forward against AFA-CWA.

71% Of United Flight Attendants Rejected Their Contract — Now Algorithm-Assigned Work Schedules Are Back On The Table

by Gary Leff on December 13, 2025

Dec 13 2025

United flight attendants haven’t had a raise in five years, and 71% voted down a union-backed contract many saw as inadequate. Now, as talks resume, United is putting a major flashpoint back on the table: algorithm-assigned work schedules that replace traditional trip picking with “preference bidding,” a system crews say is opaque and strips them of control.

American Airlines Flight Attendants Facing Termination Threats And A 48% Dues Hike Are Now Getting Free Legal Help

by Gary Leff on November 13, 2025

Nov 13 2025

American Airlines flight attendants face escalating pressure from their union, including threats of termination for unpaid dues and a demand they pay 48% more in union fees. With internal union battles complicating matters, a national legal defense group has stepped forward, offering flight attendants free legal assistance to protect their jobs and understand financial options.

After United’s Flight Attendants Overwhelmingly Rejected A Pay Deal That Barely Beat Inflation, Here’s Their 8 New Demands

by Gary Leff on November 3, 2025

Nov 03 2025

After five years without a raise, 71% of United Airlines flight attendants rejected a union-backed deal that barely kept up with inflation. Now, the union is back at the table with eight new demands — from ground pay to better layover hotels.