CHICAGO -- United Airlines Flight Attendant Master Executive Council President Greg Davidowitch, of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO, issued the following statement regarding United’s decision to defer all pension payments throughout the term of its recently announced bankruptcy loan.

“United’s actions today are devastating for the security of our pensions and the direction of our airline. Flight Attendants have continuously demonstrated our dedication to and support of this airline through massive sacrifices and by doing a great job of bringing our passengers back to our airline. Management’s deferral of pension payments is demoralizing to employee confidence, marginalizes employees’ future security and further burdens our members, who have already sacrificed so much.

“Current management should explain to us why Flight Attendants should continue to support their reorganization efforts if this is the best United can offer for a lifetime of service. Without a thoroughly committed workforce, the prospects for this management team successfully implementing its reorganization are severely jeopardized.

“While United’s action falls short of an outright termination of the pension plans, the company’s actions make termination of the pension plans likely. Flight Attendants should not be forced to shoulder the responsibility of bailing out United after the decision of the Air Transportation Stabilization Board overseen by the anti-worker White House.”

More than 46,000 Flight Attendants, including the 21,000 Flight Attendants at United, join together to form AFA, the world’s largest Flight Attendant union. AFA is part of the 700,000 member strong Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.unitedafa.org.