United Airlines 2007 Annual Report Download - page 15

The Company also conducts voluntary environmental assessment and remediation actions. Environmental cleanup obligations can arise from, among other
circumstances, the operation of aircraft fueling facilities, and primarily involve airport sites. Future costs associated with these activities are currently not
expected to have a material adverse affect on the Company's business.
Employees
As of December 31, 2007, the Company and its subsidiaries had approximately 55,000 active employees, of whom approximately 81% were represented by
various U.S. labor organizations. The employee groups, number of employees and labor organization for each of United's collective bargaining groups were as
follows:
Employee Group
Number of
Employees Union(1)
Contract Open
for Amendment
Public Contact/Ramp & Stores/Food Service Employees/Security
Officers/Maintenance Instructors/Fleet Technical Instructors 17,321 IAM January 1, 2010
Flight Attendants 15,038 AFA January 8, 2010
Pilots 6,518 ALPA January 1, 2010
Mechanics & Related 5,551 AMFA January 1, 2010
Engineers 261 IFPTE January 1, 2010
Dispatchers 172 PAFCA January 1, 2010
(1)
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers ("IAM"), Association of Flight Attendants—Communication Workers of America
("AFA"), Air Line Pilots Association ("ALPA"), Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association ("AMFA"), International Federation of Professional and
Technical Engineers ("IFPTE") and Professional Airline Flight Control Association ("PAFCA").
Collective bargaining agreements ("CBAs") are negotiated under the RLA, which governs labor relations in the air transportation industry, and such
agreements typically do not contain an expiration date. Instead, they specify an amendable date, upon which the contract is considered "open for amendment."
Before the amendable date, neither party is required to agree to modifications to the bargaining agreement. Nevertheless, nothing prevents the parties from
agreeing to start negotiations or to modify the agreement in advance of the amendable date. Contracts remain in effect while new agreements are negotiated.
During the negotiating period, both the Company and the negotiating union are required to maintain the status quo.
On December 4, 2007, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters ("Teamsters") filed an application with the National Mediation Board ("NMB") seeking
the right to represent United's mechanics and related employees, who are currently represented by AMFA. On January 24, 2008 the NMB found that the
Teamsters had submitted sufficient valid signed authorization cards from a majority of the eligible employees and ordered that a representation election be
conducted. Voting will take place from February 26, 2008 through March 31, 2008. AMFA and Teamsters will appear on the ballot. Write-in votes are permitted.
If a majority of eligible employees (active and furloughed) vote in favor of union representation, the union receiving a majority of the votes would be declared
the representative. If a majority of the employees vote for representation, but no single organization receives a majority of the votes cast, there would be a runoff
election between the two organizations receiving the most votes. If less than a majority of eligible employees cast ballots in the initial election, the employees
will become unrepresented.
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Source: UNITED AIR LINES INC, 10-K, February 29, 2008