United Airlines technicians vote to ratify new contract

(Reuters) -United Airlines Holdings Inc technicians ratified a two-year contract with the carrier that includes 16% to 23% wage increases, their union said on Monday.

International Brotherhood of Teamsters, representing around 8,200 United Airlines technicians said the two-year contract would provide for improved job security by adding five heavy maintenance lines in-house.

The agreement, which will be in effect until December 2024, comes at a time when airlines are coming up with attractive pay offers to retain workforce and add staff after a faster-than-expected rebound in the U.S. travel market.

It includes a one-year early opener that allows for bargaining on a successor agreement to begin in December 2023.

“We expect to hire 7,000 maintenance team members alone over the next few years,” United Airlines Chief Executive Scott Kirby said in a LinkedIn post on Monday.

(Reporting by Kannaki Deka in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)