United flight attendants stage protest over pension cuts

Friday, July 29, 2005 | 11:05 a.m.

Las Vegas-based flight attendants for United Airlines said random strikes that could cause headaches for vacationers and conventioneers may be on the horizon for the third-busiest air carrier serving McCarran International Airport.

The Chicago-based airline issued a terse statement saying any strike action would be illegal and "United will do whatever is necessary to ensure the continued smooth operation of the company for our customers."

The threat of a strike comes at a time when thousands of furniture industry conventioneers are in Las Vegas for the opening of the World Market Center and the airport recorded the busiest June in its history.

Flight attendants represented by the Association of Flight Attendants union are seeking the removal of United's management, which turned their pension plan over to the federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. in a move to help the airline emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

"Current United management has held its employees and creditors hostage in Chapter 11 for nearly 1,000 days," said Greg Davidowitch, president of the Chicago-based AFA.

Flight attendants conducted picket-and-leaflet campaigns at airports on three continents, including a one-hour demonstration at McCarran as temperatures approached 100 degrees.

"We are moving forward because of violations in our agreement," said MaryAnne Houser, one of the AFA's leaders in Las Vegas. "We want senior management to go, we want our (pension) plan back and we don't want the burden to fall on taxpayers."

Flight attendants worldwide threatened CHAOS strikes -- short for Creating Havoc Around Our System -- random work stoppages that they say could occur on any flight or at any city at any time. The randomness of the actions could cause disruptions systemwide, flight attendants say.

United, which operates as discount carrier Ted Airlines in Las Vegas, and United Express have a total of 40 flights to and from McCarran daily, representing a market share of about 7.1 percent of the seats into and out of the market.

Nonstop markets from Las Vegas include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, Washington's Dulles International Airport, and Palm Springs and Fresno, Calif. The large airports are United hubs and flights to and from them help the airline transport passengers to about 200 destinations on its system, including several overseas.

United, United Express and Ted have about 3,400 flights a day and 58,500 employees worldwide. There are about 100 flight attendants based in Las Vegas, a base that was spared after an AFA fight with airline management last year.

United, the nation's second-largest airline, has operated under U.S. Bankruptcy Court protection for nearly three years. The airline has received financial concessions from several unions in an effort to emerge from bankruptcy.

"While every other union at United has recognized the need to terminate and replace pension plans in order for United to successfully complete its restructuring," the airline's Thursday statement said, "the AFA leadership has simply refused to accept the reality and negotiate a replacement plan on behalf of its members."

Airline expert Terry Trippler of cheapseats.com, said travelers grounded by a strike have little recourse.

"If a flight is delayed or canceled and it's out of their control -- and strikes are considered to be matters out of their control -- the airline technically is obligated only to refund your money," Trippler said.

"They'll try to book you on other flights, but airplanes -- especially those going to and from Vegas -- have been pretty full, so it will be hard for them to accommodate everybody," he said.

Trippler recommended booking arrivals and departures at least a day earlier than initially planned.

"Most airlines aren't requiring a Saturday-night stay any more," Trippler said. "If you need to be at work on Monday, I'd recommend flying home on Saturday if you're afraid of getting stuck."