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Labor relations at United Airlines "are at their lowest point in years and getting worse."

The head of United Airlines' unionized pilots wants the goal of putting agreements in place for every union by Feb. 1, 2008, the second anniversary of the carrier's emergence from bankruptcy protection.

In a letter to the company, pilot Mark Bathurst, who is head of the United Master Executive Council of the Air Line Pilots Association wrote that he and his pilots are expressing “deep concern” over the company’s future and over the “deteriorating relationship between the management and employees.” 

United is the only major carrier in the US without orders for new aircraft and labor relations between the airline and their employees are sinking fast. 

United has signed a contract with their unions until 2009, but the union says opening up talks now will help mark major concession on the part of management.  UAL Corp., seems less than interested in opening up talks. 

Bathurst told United CEO Glenn Tilton. “You can either take bold, dramatic steps now to reverse the decline or stand by and watch things continue to deteriorate."

With poor customer service, dropping employee morale, declining domestic numbers, and limited international growth, United looks to be in some serious troubles ahead.  Maybe the airline’s management team should have spent a few more years in bankruptcy to figure out just how to manage an airline. 

Chicago Tribune