Machinists Respond to UAL/Continental Rumors

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers' (IAM) General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr., today issued the following statement in response to media reports that Continental Airlines and United Airlines are discussing a possible merger:

"The Machinists Union has not been contacted by United or Continental about any potential merger. The IAM is fully prepared to defend the wages, contracts and defined benefit pension plans earned by our 25,000 members at United and Continental. The IAM's Transportation Merger Team is also prepared to respond to any airline merger scenario. In the event a United-Continental merger did occur, United's Flight Attendants could gain the defined benefit pension plan currently enjoyed by our United Airlines members and being ratified by our Continental Flight Attendants."

The IAM represents 16,000 United Airlines Ramp & Stores, Public Contact, Food Service, Fleet Technical Instructors, Maintenance Instructors, Security Officer and Food Service employees. United's IAM members are the airline's only employees to successfully negotiate a defined benefit pension plan in bankruptcy, the multi-employer IAM National Pension Plan.

The Machinists Union also represents more than 9,000 Continental Airlines Flight Attendants; the highest paid Flight Attendants in the industry. Already the largest union at Continental, the IAM has active organizing campaigns underway for the airline's Fleet Service, Passenger Service and Reservation employees.

The IAM is the largest airline union in North America. More information about the Machinists Union is available at http://www.goiam.org.