United pilots resist contract changes over regional routes

United pilots said they refuse to budge on the wording of their contract governing the outsourcing of regional flights. President of the carrier, Scott Kirby, has called for changes to the so-called “scope clause” which sets guidelines on the size of planes that can be operated by regional feeder carriers, among other things. A scope clause restricts planes heavier than 39,000 kg with more than 76 seats from regional routes, where pilots are generally paid less than their mainline counterparts. “We are holding the line,” said Todd Insler, chairman of the unit of the Air Line Pilots Association that represents United pilots. “We have no intention of degrading scope.” The United negotiations are being watched by other airlines entering labour talks, along with commercial planemakers Embraer of Brazil and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan, which are building new planes that are too heavy to be flown by regional carriers because they exceed the scope clause weight.A United spokeswoman on Friday referred to earlier remarks by Kirby. <br/>