United Airlines Strikes Tentative Labor Agreement with Flight Attendants
United Airlines, in conjunction with the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, announced a tentative labor agreement on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The agreement promises approximately 30,000 flight attendants their first raises in nearly six years, propelling them to the position of the highest-paid cabin crew in the industry.
The five-year agreement includes immediate raises upon ratification, with top wage rates projected to reach $100 per hour by the end of the contract. The deal also introduces boarding pay—compensation for time spent assisting passengers board the aircraft. Additionally, it includes new pay for extended gaps between flights, and a substantial $740 million signing bonus pool to be divided among all United flight attendants.
The tentative agreement also proposes higher base pay, new limitations on overnight flight assignments, and improved scheduling provisions. However, it must first be approved by the union’s Master Executive Council and then ratified by union members before it can take effect. Voting is expected to conclude in mid-May 2026.
This deal emerges after flight attendants overwhelmingly rejected a previous tentative agreement in July 2025. The rejected agreement would have included 26% immediate raises, sending negotiators back to the drawing board. If ratified, United would become the last major U.S. carrier to finalize a post-pandemic labor contract with its flight attendants.
Source: CNBC