June 30, 2012



Dear United Pilots:



Friday’s 3 p.m. deadline to conclude negotiations with management was extended to the early hours of this morning but has passed without a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA). For the last several days, with the chairman of the National Mediation Board on hand, we worked every day and through the nights in an effort to bring a conclusion to these negotiations that have now been going on for more than two years.



While the NMB categorized this week as “end game” negotiations, we continue to respect the process and stay focused on getting a deal done. Unfortunately, we still do not have a deal that restores the sacrifices that you made to keep this company in business after September 11, 2001.



As you know, we have made three requests of the NMB for a release from mediation because we believe that would create a true internal time-clock that would bring a sense of urgency to the company's participation in these discussions. Further, we are capable of concluding these negotiations well within a 30-day cooling off period. Whether or not the NMB grants us the release, we will continue to pursue other avenues that we think will persuade the company to conclude these negotiations.



Your leadership appreciates your continued professionalism during these negotiations. The one thing we do not want to do is allow ourselves to be baited into premature self-help, which would give the company an excuse to drag us into court and gain leverage over our negotiations. We will remain professional and responsible in all our dealings at work. As we have stated before and will continue to state, now is not the time for us to act out our frustrations or take actions to impact the operation. We do not want any pilot to jeopardize himself, the Association or the two MECs' Strategic Plan. We must maintain the Status Quo until we are released by the NMB and the 30-day cooling off period has expired.



We remain committed to getting a deal done under the RLA process and will continue to push for a release. The NMB has told our JNC to take a brief pause and they will reconvene on Monday, July 9 in Washington and receive a status update from the NMB that week. There are no mediated negotiating sessions scheduled. As soon as we have new information on negotiations, you will be advised.



I am disappointed that the company has brought us to this juncture and I ask that each and every one of you take a few moments to vote, and vote in favor of providing your MEC the authority to strike. We will prevail in this test of wills and we will achieve the contract we have earned.



We are United,