Contract Extension Covers 10,000 Subsidiary Continental flight attendants.

The AFA Continental Master Executive Council has reached a tentative agreement with United Continental Holdings, Inc. covering 10,000 subsidiary Continental flight attendants. The agreement extends their industry leading contract for 28 months while providing the flight attendants additional economic and job security, benefits, flexibility, and growth. 

The agreement is subject to approval by the union leadership and then ratification by the subsidiary Continental flight attendants. Upon successful ratification of the agreement, the Continental Master Executive Council will immediately begin working to bring the three United subsidiary AFA flight attendant groups under a single contract.

"We are working to restore the career expectations of flight attendants through innovative and positive working relationships between labor and management – the policies of assured destruction are giving way to the reality that mutually assured success will lift and heal a battered workforce and industry," said Continental MEC President Marcus Valentino.

"We are pleased this agreement will be out for ratification almost three months ahead of the amendable date," said Sam Risoli, senior vice president of inflight. "I want to recognize the subsidiary Continental AFA Master Executive Council and representatives of the negotiating committee for their intense and successful efforts to secure this agreement for their members in advance of entering into joint contract negotiations alongside their subsidiary United counterparts."

Flight attendants from the company's United subsidiary ratified a new four-year contract in February 2012.

Mike Bonds, executive vice president of human resources and labor relations of United, noted that, "While we are focused on achieving joint collective bargaining agreements covering the integrated flight attendant workgroup and other workgroups, it's also important to be fair to our co-workers in the short term as we transition into the complex process of joint negotiations. Agreements that are fair to co-workers and fair to the company – like those we've achieved with the AFA – move us forward towards finalizing our merger and fully integrating airline operations to the benefit of our co-workers, customers and other stakeholders. This agreement demonstrates the importance and positive results of our working together culture, and we want to thank the AFA for their good faith and hard work in getting this agreement done in such a timely manner."

FMI: www.calafa.org, www.united.com