About 100 United Airlines flight attendants staged an informational picket Tuesday at Denver International Airport, joining 14 other sites in a worldwide contract-dispute protest.
The picketers maintain that after a year of negotiations, United — DIA’s largest carrier — has failed to address pay, benefits, work rules and pension improvements, said Ken Kyle, president of Denver Local Council 9 of the Association of Flight Attendants.
The flight attendants want cuts restored as promised during United’s bankruptcy. The reinstatements were to come in January, when they were to receive a new contract, Kyle said.
“This is not just our fight. This is middle America’s fight. This won’t be done at our expense,” Kyle said.
The union is prepared to strike if the mediator believes there is no progress, he said.
United has presented proposals the union has “repeatedly dismissed outright,” airline spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said.
“We need changes in work rules,” McCarthy said, such as a halt to the practice of flight attendants being able to trade away a month of flying and still receive full benefits.
Ann Schrader: 303-954-1967 or aschrader@denverpost.com
