US Airways and its mechanics union have reached a tentative contract agreement. The airline said Wednesday that the deal will see mechanics receive a 10% raise once the contract is ratified.
In addition, these raises will be followed by 3% raises every year until 2011. New overtime rates were apparently also negotiated. A pension plan is also going to be offered to members.
IAM spokesperson Joseph Tiberi was quoted in an Associated Press story as saying, “After two bankruptcies at US Airways and more than two years of negotiations after the merger, employees are finally seeing something positive.”
IAM also represents the fleet service workers at the airline. That group and the airline came to terms on a new contract last summer. However, union members rejected the deal. New negotiations are now in progress on that contract.
Sounds like labor and management got together and got the job done without too much rancor. Let’s hope that the other negotiations (for US Airways and for others currently negotiating) are approached constructively by both sides.
I wouldn’t count my chickens before they hatched, Holly. I think this one may just go the way of the TA with fleet service and be rejected.
People are upset about things like sick time, profit sharing, and particularly the number of line maintenance stations to remain open.