US Airways Passenger Service Employees Approve First Contract By Overwhelming Vote

Passenger service employees at US Airways, members of the Communications Workers of America, overwhelmingly ratified their first contract with the airline, with a 75 percent "yes" vote in the mail ballot election.

The vote was 2,958 in favor of the agreement and 910 opposed. Overseeing the vote count were members of the passenger service unit and a mediator with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. The contract takes effect immediately.

The five-year agreement includes a pay parity formula that keeps US Airways employees averaged at the top with the other airline industry leaders. Under this formula and contract provisions, hourly wage rates will likely top $20.90 by next June, including new customer contact premiums and other wage increases.

Other improvements include a fully competitive retirement program, with company contributions to increase in the range of 4-10 percent, depending on age; real job security protections in the event of a sale or merger; provisions insuring that US Airways Regional Jet operations, work locations, Internet reservations and information calls will remain the work of passenger service employees; a real arbitration and grievance procedure; and for part-time workers, a 50 percent company contribution toward family medical benefits.

CWA President Morton Bahr credited the hard work and determination of the passenger service group in producing a contract that leads the industry in compensation, benefits, job security and opportunity.

"Passenger service employees overcame many obstacles in their drive for representation and a real contract. Their mobilization, their commitment and their refusal to give up really made all the difference. This first contract makes tremendous gains for all passenger service employees, whether they work in the city ticket offices, the res centers, the US Airways clubs, at airport gates and ticket counters, or in providing special services and support to passengers," Bahr said.

"Across CWA, local unions, members and staff joined this campaign and played a role in the victory and success of our passenger service group. All of us should be very proud of our accomplishment."
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