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United Airlines has received billions of dollars in Covid aid.Thousands of workers can now lose their jobs
The company is considering a plan for United Airlines, which is suffering from a pandemic, to outsource 2,500 catering workers who received $ 5 billion from the Care Act. Photo: Joshua Lott / AFP / Getty Images When the coronavirus pandemic struck the United States last year, few industries were hit as hard as airlines. The government has intervened with $ 15 billion in aid to stop what seemed to be the imminent collapse of major employers. Frank Benenati, a United Airlines spokesman, said: A year later, the $ 5 billion United Airlines received from the $ 22 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (Cares Act) will give airlines billions of dollars to shareholders and millions of dollars. It helps to return it to executives. But for the 2,500 United catering workers who were suffering from a pandemic, that’s a different story. The company is currently considering plans to outsource work to contractors. Jenkins Kolongbo has been a food catering employee for four years at United Airlines in Newark, NJ. In 2018, Kolongbo and his colleagues voted for the union against the backdrop of an aggressive anti-union campaign by United Airlines. Workers voted to join the Unite Here union with a 72% vote. Currently, five United Airlines airports, Newark, Denver, Houston, Honolulu’s Kolongbo and 2,500 catering workers could lose their jobs. “The company is not fair and the best way to clarify and promote most of our rights is to have a union,” Colombo said. United Airlines strongly opposed union elections until 2018, installing televisions throughout the work area where anti-union videos are played repeatedly. A United Airlines anti-union flyer obtained by the Guardian claimed that “if you win, you cannot protect you from the union.” The title of the leaflet was “Stay United Vote No.”. An anti-union poster during the election told workers that “travel privileges are not guaranteed and nothing is guaranteed during contract negotiations.” Other anti-union videos and leaflets focused on union fees and encouraged workers to vote “no” in union elections. On top of that, “It’s very difficult to remove the union. If elected.” Prior to the union election, United Airlines claimed that the workers misunderstood the workers when they obtained the union approval card. The National Mediation Commission found no evidence to support the accusation. The survey postponed the elections held in October 2018 after the union applied for elections in January 2018. During the pandemic, Kolongbo explained that his time was reduced from 40 hours a week to 30 hours a week. The airline remained 40 hours a week. In June, Kolongbo was infected with the coronavirus and was closed for three weeks. At least four of his colleagues died of Covid-19. He was temporarily dismissed after the CARES Act’s funds expired on September 30, and was not called back until January. He sees United Airlines’ decision to outsource their work to contractors as a way to avoid the initial contract with the union. “We’re in this struggle with them over contracts, so I think it’s another form of union crushing. They probably have favorable conditions for us. You’ll want to threaten that, “Kolongbo added. Amelton Archelus has been involved in in-flight meals at Denver International Airport for over 20 years. He also experienced reduced working hours at United Airlines during the pandemic and is concerned that switching to a contractor could result in loss of his seniority, wages, allowances, and possible jobs. “You lose everything: seniority, wages, allowances. Contractors can say they don’t want to hire you,” Archels said. United Airlines has promised and predicted to spend $ 8.57 billion on share buybacks between 2014 and 2019 and pay CEO $ 7.5 million worth of cash incentives. He pointed out that he considered outsourcing his work and decided to undermine the union. By 2023, the rate of return will exceed that of 2019 as the travel industry expects to recover from the pandemic. Congressmen Sylvia Garcia and Eleanor Holmes wrote to the US Treasury and United Airlines earlier this month requesting information on how airlines used care law funds and requesting a proposal from the Treasury. Executive bonus for letter and salary support extension contracts. In Houston, Texas, United Airlines driver Fernando Elera, who has been in the catering sector for 18 years, has had a heart attack at work and has experienced health problems, and his wife and son rely on insurance for health insurance. I’m worried about losing. .. “I feel betrayed. We have been serving this company for many years. Not only me, but many of my colleagues who have worked here for most of our lives have put our backs on our backs. I’ve broken it, “said Herrera, who expressed disappointment that the airline hadn’t yet negotiated a contract with the union since 2018. But instead, they are currently pursuing plans to undertake their work. “United received a lot of money to keep workers working. We are still in the middle of a pandemic and at my age it is very difficult to start over and find another job. A United Airlines spokesperson said airlines value relationships with employees and union representatives, and although they did not comment on the initial contract negotiations with catering workers, some contractors. Said that there are employees represented by the union. “United has submitted an exploratory request for proposal, [RFP]At this time, we have not decided to move forward with third party vendors. Given that Covid-19 is having an unprecedented impact on our business, United continues to look for ways to do things differently and be as efficient as possible. This RFP is part of that effort, “a spokeswoman said in an email.