On February 28, flight attendants employed by United Airlines concluded workplace mediation with UA by ratifying a new contract. This contract was approved by an overwhelming 70.4% of voting members, which accounted for 88.5 percent of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Union. This contract model was reached by using the National Mediation Board's Expedited Mediation Program.

Mediation Services Deemed Mutually Beneficial

To the benefit of the flight attendants, the new contract has significant improvements in quality of work life, improvements in job security, pay raises and scheduling improvements, and a $5000 signing bonus. Also, United Airlines is required to enter individual negotiations by this summer.

The resolution of this agreement benefits United Airlines by opening up merger negotiations with other airlines. This is the first post-bankruptcy contract for airline, and is the first step in completing a merger with Continental Airlines and Continental Micronesia. Effectively, it is a step toward securing the future of UA.

Implications of this Civil Mediation

In the airline profession, virtually all airlines are in negotiations with flight attendants. Some negotiations are more heated than others. This successful negotiation is standing proof that the National Mediation Board's Expedited Mediation Program can resolve disputes quickly and to both parties' satisfaction.

Workplace mediation covers many aspects of the working environment including contract negotiation, interpersonal and managerial issues and more. Unlike litigation, the goal is to reach a mutually beneficial agreement in the shortest amount of time, at a minimal expense, and with a maximum amount of privacy for both parties, rather than the expensive, time-consuming and blame-based mindset of litigation.