Continental and United Pilots Picket at Cleveland

[densoo]

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Pilots from Continental and United hit the picket lines today at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport over stalled contract talks with the company and alleged outsourcing of work.

The pilots tell Fox 8 News they are picketing over the company's plans to continue outsourcing flights, and the duties of flying those planes, to other airlines under the Continental/United name.

Continental and United merged in May and have been negotiating a new pilots contract with the union representing the pilots, Air Line Pilots Association International, since.

Similar protests took place in Newark, Houston and Chicago in November and December of 2010.

United Airlines issued this statement:

"We are committed to working constructively with all of our unions to develop contracts that are fair to our employees and fair to the company. Earlier this week we reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with Continental flight attendants represented by the IAM, and our tentative agreement for Continental ramp employees represented by the IBT was ratified on December. 29th 2010."

The new agreement struck with Continental flight attendants covers 9,5000 employees and runs for 20 months and includes a 2.5 percent pay increase for last year, with another 2.5 percent increase in September.

http://www.fox8.com/news/wjw-news-continental-united-pilots-picket,0,5391776.story

 

[Raoul Duke]

Seriously the best place they could pick is CLE? What an incredibly powerful statement. What's next, a big picketing event in SYR?

 

[clr4theapch]

It a natual.. the city is still ticked off about losing Labron....

 

[densoo]

Seriously the best place they could pick is CLE? What an incredibly powerful statement. What's next, a big picketing event in SYR?

Don't know about "the best" but it was the last. They've done them in EWR, IAH, ORD, and others, so why not CLE? Over 100 folks showed up in a base of only 250 pilots. United pilots and flight attendants from both airlines were there as well. Company had to issue another yada, yada press release in response.

Still, a pretty good showing. That large a turnout in such a small base may send a better message than the ones at the bigger bases. If the discontent has found its way down to the mom 'n pop base, maybe something is going on.

Also, it wouldn't be in the first five minutes of local news in the larger markets. The MEC Chair's comments were editied down to this:

"When you're negotiating a contract one of two things is going to happen at the end--you're going to get a new contract, or you're going to go on strike....we've told our union membership to prepare....for a strike."

Pretty banal stuff, but every little bit helps on the long road to getting a better contract.

 

[Abernathy]

Picketing. ALPA dues going towards useless, meaningless picketing. What the hell is picketing going to accomplish?

 

[FlyinGuy]

It is going to gain some sympathy from a public that is experiencing over 9% unemployment!!! What else did you think?

 

[theycallmechief]

Picketing. ALPA dues going towards useless, meaningless picketing. What the hell is picketing going to accomplish?

Well management is surely shaken by the sight of a bunch of pilots walking in circles with a bunch of signs. I bet they are going to stop all the out sourcing now, I mean this pilot union is nuts they might start turning the logo lights off next.

 

[spudskier]

Seriously the best place they could pick is CLE? What an incredibly powerful statement. What's next, a big picketing event in SYR?

Actually it's pretty smart... CLE is a continental town. It's a fairly busy airport and 75% of the traffic that goes through there, originates there! If the execs, businessmen, million milers see this it might change their tune. Delta has a large presence there as does American as options. (probably not since DAL charges double what everyone else does and cancels half their flights out of there) Still, it makes an impact.

Good luck!