Source: Associated Press
CHICAGO - United Airlines on Thursday touted its progress since emerging from bankruptcy but was challenged by angry employees at the company's first shareholders meeting since 2002.
"All we're trying to do is renegotiate to force executives to live up to the promise of shared reward," said Greg Davidowitch, president of the United arm of the Association of Flight Attendants.
Hundreds of pilots, flight attendants and other uniformed employees demonstrated outside the meeting, and some inside challenged CEO Glenn Tilton over what they see as excessive pay for the company's top managers and a shortage of personnel.
"Employee morale is at an all-time low," said Margaret Freeman, a 767 captain and 18-year veteran of United. "Your employees are no longer behind you" - a remark that drew loud applause.
United is the dominant carrier in Denver, where it employs more than 5,000 workers.
Tilton said employee morale matters. But he pointed to the airline's financial success and comeback from the brink of liquidation as a higher priority.
"Bankruptcy is bad for employee morale," he said. "Failure is bad for employee morale."
United emerged last year from bankruptcy after cutting $7 billion in costs, including wages, pensions and benefits.
Its unions remain upset about tens of millions of dollars of stock and option awards granted to executives last year.
"All we're trying to do is renegotiate to force executives to live up to the promise of shared reward," said Greg Davidowitch, president of the United arm of the Association of Flight Attendants.
Unions representing United pilots and flight attendants urged members to oppose the company's nominees for the board of directors. All of United's nominees were re-elected.