Yesterday, Scott Kirby announced that every active employee as of November 10, 2021, as well as those who return to United Airlines, will receive a $1,000 award in recognition of our dedication and for all the hard work we’ve all done during the pandemic.
First and foremost, a sincere “thank you to Scott,” for the recognition. The decision today to acknowledge that the foundation of United Airlines is all of its workers and, in particular the Flight Attendants; who spend more time, make a bigger impression and directly care for more people than any other work group. No amount of marketing will stand alone without the support of the amazing work we do as Flight Attendants.
We look at this $1,000 award as a down payment towards the industry leading Contract negotiations on which we have embarked just this past week. It’s a significant and meaningful first step forward in a positive direction. Locking in long-term protections and pay for Flight Attendants is an essential element to our collective success.
Scott has been recognized throughout the industry and in the media for his solid business decisions, that have been crucial in guiding United to be the most successful airline to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Scott is known as a “numbers guy,” as we’ve said many times. While it’s important to keep in mind that the decision to meaningfully recognize all active United employees is significant, within this context it must also be understood, one way or another, there is a financial benefit to United Airlines for doing so. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, it’s something we must always keep in mind.
We are truly appreciative of this action and this statement is not intended to “to kick water on a sandcastle.” It is, however, intended to recognize that Scott and his management team make decisions based on promoting the health and success of our airline. The intuitive timing of this announcement today again puts United Airlines in a more favorable position than many of our competitors and, for this, we are collectively grateful.
Thank you, Scott. We appreciate your recognition of our hard work and dedication and thank you for putting our airline first.