United and the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) have announced a tentative agreement that includes “industry-leading” wages and other improvements for the airline’s 28,000 flight attendants, according to a joint statement released Friday.
Both the union and United have been negotiating a new contract for around four years.
The agreement, if ratified, would also include a signing bonus and enhancements related to scheduling and quality of life. The new contract would remain in effect for five years before becoming amendable.
Final language for the contract is expected to be completed in the coming days. Following this, the agreement will be presented to the AFA’s Master Executive Council for approval on May 29-30. If approved, the tentative agreement will then be submitted to flight attendants for ratification.
The airline’s CEO, Scott Kirby, expressed support for the agreement, saying in a news release: “Our flight attendants are the best in the industry and have earned an industry-leading contract. I often say they are the face of our operation and the role they play every day – to keep people safe and deliver great service – helps make United the biggest and best airline in aviation history.”
