United Pilots call Bethune a diversionary tactic by investors

Lining up Continental former CE Gordon Bethune as part of a board slate for United Airlines is merely a ruse by 2 hedge funds to “smash and grab from United’s coffers,” according to the carrier’s pilot union. The funds enlisted Bethune “to play on employees’ good will and feelings of nostalgia,” leaders of United’s chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association said in a letter to its more than 11,000 members Monday. By seeking to place 6 directors on the United Continental Holdings board, the investors may interfere with the changes being implemented by CE Oscar Munoz, the union said. “We also have received a firm commitment from Mr. Munoz to address and fix the myriad problems that have been obvious to all employees for some time,” the union said. <br/>