CLEVELAND — United Airlines pilots, including dozens at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, participated in a nationwide picket on Friday afternoon.
"The United Airlines Pilots' Informational Picket" took place from 1-2 p.m. at the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
Across the country, 3,000 United Airlines pilots picketed as they have failed to agree on a contract with the airline.
“I am proud to stand here today to send United Airlines management a message that the airline’s pilots have the full backing of their international union in their fight for the contract they have earned,” said Capt. Jason Ambrosi. “United management needs to stop slow-rolling negotiations that have dragged into their fifth year and do the right thing for their pilots.”
The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) represented United Airlines pilots at 10 demonstrations nationwide.
“United pilots will always be there for our customers,” said Capt. Garth Thompson, United ALPA Master Executive Council (MEC) chair. “Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about management, who seems to think that a last-minute cancelation of a United pilot’s scheduled day off, or abrupt trip reassignments that extend into planned days off is acceptable for a United pilot’s family. This is an example of how this old pilot contract impacts our ability to maintain a healthy work-life balance. United pilots will deal with this adversity in our usual professional and safe manner. We will continue to work in 2023 despite staffing shortages in Air Traffic Control facilities, aggressive summer schedules, capacity constraints, and weather. And most importantly, United pilots want the company and the public to know that the bold ‘United Next’ growth plans cannot work without an updated pilot contract.”
EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above previously aired on 3News on March 28, 2023, in an unrelated report.