United’s HK-Based Cabin Crew Lead Global Protest Over Contracts
Jackie Reddy June 16, 2016
Continental and United merged in 2010, but cabin crew of both are still subject to separate working conditions. Today, Hong Kong-based United crew, with thousands more globally, protested in support of a single contract.
It’s been six years since the merger between Continental and United airlines, but cabin crew from both carriers continue to work under separate contracts. This lack of cohesion has been a point of contention and on Thursday, 30 of United’s Hong Kong-based cabin crew staged a worldwide day of protest at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), demanding that their contracts be revamped.
Crew of both carriers are currently subject to different pay scales, benefits and working rights, points that have fueled discontent between flight crew and airline executives.
Those leading the protest outside of HKG are calling for the cabin crew of both carriers to be brought under a single, unified contract with cohesive conditions. According to the South China Morning Post, about 320 Hong Kong-based crew and 25,000 crew based around the globe are affected by these disparate contracts.
In addition to pay and benefits, these contracts also affect where crew from predecessor carriers can fly. For example, United crews can only fly to Singapore, Chicago and San Francisco, while those formerly employed by Continental can fly to Newark, Ho Chi Minh City and Guam.
While the pilots from these pre-merger carriers have already signed a new labor agreement, at the moment, three separate flight attendant groups are endeavoring to negotiate for a single contract.
Nara Nakulan, the spokesperson for the Hong Kong-based attendants, commented on the situation, saying, “Every day we go to work, we contribute to the profits of our airline, and we expect to share in the profits as well. That has always been the goal of these negotiations, and it is long past time that we had an agreement.”
“Flight attendants have to be recognized for our sacrifices that made this merger possible. Customer service starts with the people who deliver it and keep our passengers safe. Passengers and flight attendants both suffer without a joint contract,” Nakulan added.
United was unavailable for further comment.
[Photo: SCMP Photos]
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Three separate FA groups? Who's the third? Also, given the completely different work rules and way trips are scheduled for pre-merger UA vs. pre-merger CO crew, I'm wondering if the attendants, while protesting for a single contract, are willing to accept the rules for the other or have ideas on how to bridget that gap. As I understand it, CO typically gets trips with shorter layovers, which is more intense, while UA crews take longer layover, so longer trips/time away from home, but a more laid back schedule.. Are UA FAs willing to use the more intense CO rules? Or are CO crews willing to take longer trips and spend more time away from home? Maybe there is consensus somewhere, but if not, the unions will have to figure out how they want that to work, before a deal can be struck.
Actually, friendly is free
If they didn't act like Cinderella's stepmother on UA flights, I would have supported them....