United Airlines pilots to get raises of more than 14%, 8 weeks of maternity leave in new contract

The union representing United Airlines pilots has approved a tentative deal that would give the aviators pay raises of more than 14%, making it the first major US carrier to reach a deal since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and setting the bar for the rest of the industry. The agreement comes as the airline and others grapple with a shortage of pilots, which some carriers say have forced them to trim flight schedules. The contract faces a vote by rank-and-file pilots that will conclude in mid-July. Under the agreement approved Friday, pilots would get more than 14.5% in pay increases within 18 months, according to the Air Line Pilots Association, which represents about 14,000 United pilots. Pilot pay at United as of 2020 ranged from about $73,000 a year for an early-career first officer on the carrier’s smallest aircraft to more than $337,000 for a wide-body captain, according to Kit Darby, a pilot pay consultant and retired United captain. However, pay can vary widely depending on how often pilots fly. The two-year agreement also includes eight weeks of paid maternity leave, a first for the carrier’s pilots. United said women comprise about 7% of its pilot ranks. The agreement sets the tone for negotiations with other large US carriers as unions seek quality-of-life improvements after two years of the pandemic. Some pilots say airlines have created grueling schedules to capitalize on a rebound in travel that has left them fatigued, and some have recently picketed to protest conditions.<br/>