UAL-MEC Membership Committee Report

David A. Smith, Membership Committee Chair 

November, 2000

New-Hires:
Through the end of September 2000, United has hired 886 new pilots.  This number points to approximately 1,150 total new-hires for the year 2000.  The Company's numbers for 2000 indicate a desire to reach 1,211 total new-hires, according to our senior vice president of Flight Operations.  United has recently decreased the amount of new hires to 60 per month for September and for October.

The reason for this dramatic decrease is the unavailability of training in Operating Experience (OE).

According to the System Schedule Committee (SSC) report, there were massive delays in the OE training in most of the narrow-body fleets.  This delay has resulted in the slowing of e new-hires until we catch up on the OE training.  In recent weeks the backlog of OEs has eased somewhat, and we should be able to resume "normal" hiring levels by November.  It does appear as if 2000 will be the record year for numbers of new-hires at United Airlines.

The recent trend of substantial numbers of no-shows and pilots deciding to go elsewhere when offered employment here at United should ease.  This is primarily due to the new, industry-leading, tentative collective bargaining agreement.  The remaining factor hindering United's ability to attract top-flight officer candidates is the potential US Airways merger.  The uncertainty associated with this acquisition is a large factor when a candidate considers employment at United Airlines.
 

United Pilot Statistics:
As of the beginning of September 2000, United has 10,771 pilots on the property.  Can you believe that the first age60 retirements from United took place in 1953?  By 1964, that number swelled to 10 age-60 retirements.  The first year to have 100 age-60 retirements was 1981.  This year will see about 370 age 60 retirements.  Due to the very heavy hiring volumes of today, the future holds huge numbers for age-60 retirements.  For instance, the years 2021 through 2026 will have around 500 age-60 retirements per year!  As a matter of fact, the year 2023 will have 566 United pilots retire.