Tensions Between Technicians and the Union at United Airlines

The Story of United Airlines Technicians

Technicians at United Airlines have alleged that their very own union has helped the airline sidestep wage increases. A judge recently dismissed most of the claims in this lawsuit.

The technicians argue that they have been denied raises that would put their salaries above those of American and Delta Airlines. They claim that United has turned the wage adjustment formula into a "black box" and that the Teamsters Union has not supported them but rather sided with the airline.

The Nature of the Wage Battle

The wage issue at the heart of the lawsuit revolves around LOA #29, designed to adjust wages every two years in order to keep technicians' salaries at 102% of the average wages at American and Delta. If American and Delta's labor costs rise, this formula should ideally boost their salaries higher as well. However, the technicians assert that the formula is not functioning as intended.

Instead of a transparent formula that everyone could verify, United and the union have relied on a secret "Cost Model," manipulating non-wage items in the formula to create the illusion that their agreement holds more value than it actually does, thereby minimizing the anticipated raise.

Serious Allegations

The technicians pointed out that the wage adjustment announced in 2020 was 7.6%, but lacked sufficient details for them to verify its accuracy. The lawsuit also claims that the adjustment for 2022 was only reported as 2.6%, approximately $1.20 per hour, while the actual figure should have been 15.7%, equating to around $7.35 per hour.

This raises the question of why the union allowed this to happen. The technicians have speculated about potential corruption, highlighting that United paid the Teamsters $1.5 million in June 2017, shortly after the agreement was ratified, suggesting this could be an "unauthorized financial support" for a union under the Railway Labor Act.

Internal Tensions Within the Union

They have accused the union of a "vast and profound" betrayal that could expose United to severe financial penalties. This indicates that the union itself is affected and unable to fulfill its obligations. Instead, they are divided by internal factions between technicians from Continental Airlines and United Airlines.

The union has not pursued wage adjustments and has failed to support those filing complaints in obtaining necessary data. Employees have accused the union of being influenced and acting on behalf of the company.

Resolving the Lawsuit

Many claims have been dismissed during the lawsuit proceedings, leaving employees with a narrow path to continue their complaints independently. The judge concluded that the alleged secret collusion between United and the Teamsters could not be substantiated, making it difficult to explain why the union agreed to such a plan.

Allegations of fair representation obligations were dismissed, as the conspiracy theory lacked a basis. Under the Railway Labor Act, employees have the right to pursue their claims individually, even if the union does not act on their behalf.

Internal Union Dynamics

Technicians cannot continue with the theory that United and the union are secretly colluding to deny them wage increases, but they can still seek declaratory or injunctive relief to pursue their complaints about the wage adjustment process independently.

Even though there is no compensation for this, they can proceed if they wish. It seems unreasonable for the union to work with the airline to suppress employee wages.

It is likely that the union has not fought vigorously or transparently on this issue, as the focus has largely been on internal politics. This could be another way the airline has benefited from lower wages, not through unjust costs, but by having employees fight amongst themselves rather than concentrating on negotiating the best outcomes from their contracts.