Catherwood LibraryILR School

With a tentative agreement already reached over a new contract for United?s 13,000 aircraft mechanics (See WIT for Feb. 19, 2002), United Airlines (UAL) and the International Association of Machinists (IAM) will return to the bargaining table tomorrow to attempt to negotiate a contract for 23,000 ramp and public-relations workers. With the mechanics? contract likely to set the tone for this round of negotiations, United CEO Jack Creighton is hoping that an agreement will be reached soon so that concession bargaining can begin with all of United?s unions on an equal footing---possibly as early as March 25. United?s chances at winning givebacks from all of its workers have already come under question, with the announcement by the Association of Flight Attendants that it does not intend to ask its 20,000 members at United to make wage concessions.