Wow: United Flight Attendants Reject New Contract With Huge Raises
71% of United Airlines flight attendants have voted against a new contract, which would've included huge raises. This will get messy.
onemileatatime.comHere’s the latest on United Airlines flight attendant contract summaries based on recent reporting:
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A tentative contract was reported in May 2025 that union leadership called “industry-leading,” signaling significant immediate pay gains and benefits for about 28,000 flight attendants. The deal would have included a signing bonus, retroactive pay, and quality-of-life improvements, with ratification pending union votes. This was the most optimistic early update after years without a wage raise since 2020. [source reporting May 2025]
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In July 2025, flight attendants rejected a proposed deal that would have delivered immediate raises of at least about 26% and other enhancements. The rejection followed a May tentative agreement, indicating continued negotiation and changes in strike authorization dynamics. United’s leadership continued to express commitment to securing a contractual outcome after the rejection. [source reporting July 2025]
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A March 2026 briefing noted another tentative five-year labor deal involving roughly 30,000 flight attendants, including higher base pay and retroactive components, with details centered on pay for boarding time and a large signing-bonus pool. The ratification process would still be required. This suggests ongoing progress amid a protracted bargaining history. [source reporting March 2026]
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Overall, since negotiations began in 2023–2024, the trajectory has swung between tentative deals with substantial front-loaded pay and subsequent rejections or renegotiations, reflecting the high stakes and member sentiment. For the most current status, union leadership and United Airlines typically issue statements aligned with ratification timelines. [sources summarizing 2024–2026 coverage]
If you’d like, I can pull the exact latest statements from the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA and United Airlines, and summarize the current status, ratification deadlines, and key pay/benefits components in a concise table. I can also add a short timeline of major milestones.