Catherwood LibraryILR School

Late yesterday, ninety percent of the 13,000 United Airlines (UAL) Mechanics represented by District Lodge 141-M of the International Association of Machinists (IAM) participated in a vote on a tentative contract agreement with sixty-eight percent of those voting rejecting the contract. The proposal of the Presidential Emergency Board, appointed over the union's objections by President Bush, was accepted by UAL on January 23 and would have provided wage increases of up to thirty-seven percent (See WIT for Jan. 23, 2002). The mechanics---who had sought retroactive pay and job security increases, and opposed proposed temporary wage concessions following the implementation of the raise---voted by eighty-six percent to authorize a strike as early as February 20, have said they will do everything possible to reach an agreement before then.