United Airlines flight attendants have ratified a new five-year union deal after years of continued negotiations. This new contract presents the flight attendants with their first raises in almost six years, marking this a monumental labor agreement between the company and its workers. The tentative agreement, which was agreed on in March, was recently put to a vote and ratified this week, with 88.85% of eligible members participating in the vote and 82% voting in favor of the contract. The United Airlines union deal sets a new standard not only for its employees but for flight attendants across the country, making the details of the negotiation a matter of great significance.
United Airlines has managed to formalize a deal with the flight attendants’ union, offering them their first raises in nearly six years. (Image: Pexels)
United Airlines Reaches a Five-Year Deal with the Flight Attendants’ Union
After much debate and discussion, United flight attendants have voted to ratify a five-year contract that increases base pay by an average of 31% for the nearly 30,000 flight attendants represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. The negotiations hinged heavily on pay outcomes and the benefits available to the flight attendants, with a tentative contract in March 2025 being rejected for its unsatisfactory terms. Now, with their positions more secure and appropriate benefits ratified by the contract, things appear to be falling in place.
“The contract will immediately change the lives of United Flight Attendants, especially our thousands of new hires who have been hired since the pandemic,” Ken Diaz, AFA United President, said in a statement. “Our solidarity delivered the goods.”
“The United Airlines Flight Attendant contract now leads the industry in total value for Flight Attendants, and it should,” Sara Nelson, International President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, added in a statement. “We will continue to press forward with all of our contracts and build power with our organizing to ensure Flight Attendants are respected with meaningful return for our work as aviation’s first responders.”
What are the terms of the United Airlines contract ratified by the Flight Attendants’ Union?
Apart from the wage increases for the flight attendants, the United Airlines union deal also comes with the promise of boarding pay for the period spent on bringing passengers on board the planes, amounting to an additional 7-8% compensation on average. Approximately $741 million has also been secured in retroactive pay. Beyond the monetary compensation offered to employees, United Airlines’ labor agreement also comes with multiple changes to operations that allow better working conditions for the workers.
According to the Association of Flight Attendants, this includes greater job security aligned with United Pilots and restrictions placed on red-eye flights. Employees are also eligible for sit pay for scheduled and rescheduled sits over 2.5 hours. The contract offers per diem and 401(k) contributions increases, 10 weeks of paid maternity leave with 2 weeks of paid parental and adoption leave, and better language and communication in hotel and electronic notifications.
The unstable and unpredictable nature of the work can often be very difficult on employees, and as such, the United Airlines union deal eliminates 24-hour on-call reserves with 14-hour reserve availability periods. Tailored to the specific work experiences of flight attendants and the conditions they work under, the union contract addresses problems that were thus far sidelined.
The Advantage of Fair Negotiations Before Escalations
The union deal struck by United Airlines comes after considerable pushback from the flight attendants and prolonged negotiations that have previously disrupted operations. From Spirit Airlines to Air Canada, flight attendants across operations have been fighting to secure better working conditions for themselves over the last few years, amidst considerable struggles in having their concerns heard.
Many of the provisions of the newly ratified contract may not be relevant to other roles and occupations, but they reflect the importance of understanding the needs of the workers and the conditions under which they operate. Most organizations may never have to confront union activity and collective action from workers, but employees inevitably have struggles of their own that a general benefits program may not cover the breadth of.
To manage a workforce correctly, it is often essential to evaluate the needs of the workforce in order to tailor support systems to address their specific concerns and struggles. Non-unionized workforces are just as inclined towards feeling unsatisfied with the provisions offered by their employers, even if their way of showcasing their disapproval might be more subtle. Reviewing the needs of the workforce and tailoring benefits and support tools to their needs is always a priority of the highest magnitude, allowing the workforce to perform their roles without undue pressures weighing over them.
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