The Partnership Program award is complete and it successfully achieved its intended goal; to work in conjunction with our Contractual Voluntary Furlough protections to preserve the jobs of our Members and to provide an additional mechanism for schedule flexibility for those who want it.  

The fact that not one of our Members will be forced onto involuntary furlough is a testament to why we have a Union and a Contract.  Throughout the Voluntary Furlough and Partnership award we worked with Inflight management to carefully review the company's actual manpower needs, which resulted in an overall reduction from the original announcement of 2,100 furloughs.  We sincerely appreciate management's commitment to this process and genuine desire to work with us in an effort to avoid involuntary furloughs.

All bids for Partnership were awarded.  The Company will maintain a wait list of Partnership requests and award additional Partnerships, in seniority order, based on the seniority of the senior Flight Attendant in the Partnership.  Requests may be submitted at any time and will be awarded as the Company determines an additional need.

When this furlough was announced we said we would we confront the challenge together while taking care of each other to protect the jobs of our Members.  Everyone in this process, including representatives from the Company, played a critical role in this successful outcome.  

We extend a special thank you to those who were able to avail themselves of the benefits afforded while on a Voluntary Furlough and the Partnership Program while saving a job of a flying partner.  It truly was a community effort that we should all recognize as a great collective success.

In Solidarity,

Greg Davidowitch, President

United Master Executive Council