Move FM Global News

CHICAGO, Illinois: Ahead of a potentially record-breaking summer travel season, last week, pilots from United Airlines, one of the nation’s largest airlines, picketed at major airports demanding higher pay.

As US federal law makes it difficult for unions to conduct strikes in the airline industry, the United pilots, who have been working without a raise for more than four years and are negotiating with management for a new contract are, however, unlikely to strike.

The nationwide protests by United pilots follows the strike-authorization votes by American Airlines and Southwest Airlines pilots, and union officials said that United pilots could be the next to vote.

Pilots at all three carriers are seeking to match or surpass a pay rise of 34 percent over four years under an agreement made by Delta Air Lines with its pilots earlier this year.

While United has proposed to match the Delta increase, unions said that might not be enough for a new contract.

“We still have a long ways to go to resolve some of the issues at the table,” said Garth Thompson, chair of the United wing of the Air Line Pilots Association, as quoted by the Associated Press.

United passenger Giselle Ascione, who was in San Francisco, said the airlines are making a lot of money, and “the pilots, as well as the attendants, should be paid. It is common sense,” as reported by the Associated Press.

According to the union, out of the Chicago-based airline’s 14,000 pilots, it expects at least 2,000 to picket in the coming days at 10 airports, including Newark, New Jersey, and Los Angeles.

The pilots are also distributing leaflets that highlight the pilots’ demands for better work-life balance in their scheduling, but do not mention pay.