Six-Year Contract Puts Teamsters, Including Local 781 in Illinois, at Top of Industry

Mechanics at United Airlines stations across the nation ratified a six-year National Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement with the company today after more than three years of negotiations.

More than 9,000 mechanics in the bargaining unit will see their compensation move to the top of the industry, marked improvements in leave and a unique industry reset, which will put the mechanics’ package 2 percent above the highest compensation in the industry every two years. Teamster members will also receive a signing bonus worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Among thousands nationwide, the contract represents mechanic members of Local 781 in Elmhurst, Ill., a suburb of Chicago.

“This is a landmark day for the Teamsters,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. “From the very beginning of the aviation industry, the Teamsters have been raising standards for workers. As a union, we’ve taken another step up today.”

“This contract represents the largest contract for a mechanics group in airline industry history,” said Capt. David Bourne, Director of the Teamsters Airline Division. “It is a package worth a collective $1.7 billion in improvements in compensation and benefits over the current agreement. I’ve always said proudly that Teamster contracts are the strongest in the industry and this contract is one of our strongest ever. I’d like to acknowledge the incredible work of International Representative Clacy Griswold on this agreement and for decades of service to Airline Division Teamsters. It is fitting that his storied career would culminate with the largest contract ever for airline mechanics. I’d also like to thank International Representatives Bob Fisher and Capt. Paul Alves and the entire negotiating committee.”

“This contract was possible because of the solidarity we demonstrated shift-to-shift and station-to-station,” said Joseph Prisco, a 27-year mechanic at United Airlines and a member of the United Airlines negotiating committee.

“As mechanics, we’re taught to work as a team to accomplish the important goal of aircraft safety. Using that same team concept, we stuck together with professionalism, solidarity and purpose to get an industry-leading contract.”

Teamsters Local 781 is an affiliate of Teamsters Joint Council 25, America’s premier labor union for Chicago, Illinois and northwest Indiana.