AFA-CWA Fights Pension Scheme at United

Flight attendants at United Airlines, members of AFA-CWA, are fighting back against the airline's surprise deal with the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corp., to terminate employee pension plans.

In an abrupt turnaround, the PBGC, a federal government entity, agreed to accept $1.5 billion from United as part of the deal to shift responsibility for the $9.8 billion in pension obligations to the agency - and to taxpayers. This move would mean that two-thirds of AFA-CWA members at United will lose at least half the value of their pension, the union said.

Greg Davidovitch, president of the AFA-CWA United Master Executive Council, said AFA-CWA will oppose this effort forcefully in the bankruptcy court, which is scheduled to hear the motion beginning May 4, and "will continue preparations to take this fight to the streets."

While cutting workers' wages, benefits and pensions, United executives have continued to take bonuses and raises and have refused to meet the same standard of concessions they have demanded from employees, he said. United CEO "Glenn Tilton's protected $4.5 million pension trust remains intact and beyond question by the court and the government, but certainly not by the employees who have built United Airlines," he added.

Flight attendants will not stand by while our retirement security - and the benefits and careers we have built - are destroyed, Davidovitch said.