Boeing 777ER United Airlines. Plane to Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport.
Massimo Insabato | Mondadori Portfolio | Getty Images
union representation United Airlines Pilots have approved a tentative deal that will give aviators a salary increase of more than 14%, making it the first major US carrier to reach a deal since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and setting the bar for the rest of the industry Will do
The deal comes at a time when the airline and others are grappling with pilot shortages, which some carriers say have forced them trim flight schedule,
Under the agreement approved Friday, pilots will receive more than 14.5% in pay increases within 18 months, according to the Air Line Pilots Association, which represents about 14,000 United pilots. The two-year agreement also includes eight weeks of paid maternity leave, a first for carrier pilots. United said that about 7% of its pilot ranks are women.
The agreement sets the tone for negotiations between unions and other large US carriers, including Delta Airlines, American Airlines And Southwest Airlines, as labor groups seek improved quality of life two years after the pandemic. Some pilots say airlines have made grueling programs to capitalize on a rebound in travel that they are tired of, and some have recently staged protests in protest.
Flight attendants and other working groups at major carriers are also in contract negotiations.
