United Air backtracks on bonus lottery after union backlash

United Continental retreated from a plan to replace modest employee bonus payments with a chance for a lucky few to win luxury cars and 6-figure cash prizes, following a backlash from the airline’s unions. The company is “pressing the pause button” on any changes to the bonuses, president Scott Kirby said Monday in a message to employees, just 3 days after announcing the new approach. He pledged to solicit feedback from employee groups after staunch opposition to his plan to replace steady pay-outs with high-stakes drawings for prizes including US$100,000 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedans. “Our intention was to introduce a better, more exciting program, but we misjudged how these changes would be received by many of you,” Kirby wrote. <br/>