Officials of the newly merged United and Continental airlines today heralded the distribution of $224 million in profit sharing to the combined carriers’ employees. The new company, which flies under the United Airlines name, has about 80,000 total employees, including about 4,800 in the Denver area.
In a midday ceremony at Denver International Airport United Vice President for Hub Operations Joanne Calabrese joined Steve Jaquith, the company’s managing director for the Denver hub, in handing out profit-sharing checks to line employees.
“It’s a new day for United and a new day for all of you,” Calabrese told workers who had lined up for checks and cupcakes. “This is what it looks like when we work together as a team.”
United, in particular, has had a more contentious relationship between its unionized workers and management.
Citing the challenge for United’s new management, Jaquith said, “Its all about building a culture and winning the hearts and minds of employees.” He spent 24 years with Continental before assuming the new United job in Denver.
