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What will our product / fleet makeup be like? How many classes of service will we have?
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There are many questions about the merged airline’s products. These decisions have not been made yet. Glenn Tilton and Jeff Smisek will jointly head an integration planning team, made up of people from both airlines, to plan integration decisions like these over the coming months prior to the legal close of the merger. United remains committed to fulfilling all existing aircraft orders.
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When and how is the integration planning team being determined? What can we expect from it?
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Glenn Tilton and Jeff Smisek will jointly head the integration planning team, which will involve a dedicated team of employees, comprising people from both companies. The integration planning work will be separate from the work that most of our people will be focused on: safely running a great airline and continuing the momentum we have under way to improve our performance. We expect to communicate more on the integration planning process in the coming weeks.
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How will we integrate workforces and what is the timeline?
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This can’t legally happen until after the merger closes. Although there is no specified timeline for these decisions, we are committed to working throughout the integration to ensure that we have fair and equitable processes leading to results that are timely and transparent. We don’t know when this process will be complete, but we will work with employees and unions promptly to resolve these issues and will communicate the answers as soon as we are able.
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How will we integrate the cultures of the two companies?
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Focus on 5 and our guiding principles are at the foundation of all we do. We are committed to running a good airline and creating a community of respect, always with safety as our first priority. As we are doing by combining the brands of both airlines, with the Continental logo, livery and colors and the United name, we will continue to work to bring together the best qualities of both companies in the combined airline.
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Between now and closing, how do we ensure that we continue momentum toward making the right decisions for the business?
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The announcement doesn’t affect our jobs today — it should continue to be business as usual. Just as we do every day, we will continue our commitment to our Focus on 5 business agenda and to ensuring we deliver the service our customers expect, always with safety as our first priority. Some employees will be asked to participate on dedicated integration planning teams focused on effectively combining our two companies. Most importantly, we need to continue building on our current momentum and finish the year strong.
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How does the pending merger impact Section 6 negotiations?
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We will continue our current Section 6 negotiations with all of our unions to reach agreements, recognizing that such discussions should contemplate the implications of the anticipated merger.
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What if our work groups have two different unions?
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Merging each of the work groups will be done in the same manner – on a fair and equitable basis. When there is a question about who represents a combined work group, the issue must be resolved by the National Mediation Board (NMB), the governmental body responsible for deciding representation matters in airlines. The NMB will call for an election, and then United and Continental employees’ votes will determine the outcome for that work group.
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If I work in a non-union work group, will my group automatically become part of a union?
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No. The determination about whether the combined work group will be represented by a union will be made by the NMB. Generally, the call for a union representation election is made by a union (the company cannot call for a representation election). Once the NMB holds an election, CO and UA employees will vote to decide if they want a union for the work group.
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How will the seniority lists be merged?
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This is a key issue in every airline merger. Seniority is integrated on a work group-by-work group basis, and even though the federal McCaskill-Bond law sets the standards, the details and specifics of the process can be different for each group. For unionized work groups, the seniority integration is primarily determined and controlled by the union, not the company. For non-union groups, we are committed to ensuring that all seniority integration be done in a fair and equitable manner. We are unable to provide a timeline yet for when the various seniority integrations will occur.
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In light of the merger, will furloughed employees be recalled, and if so, how soon?
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It depends upon the needs of the company. After the merger, recalls will depend on the work rules for and the business needs of the combined company.
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Continental has a defined benefit retirement plan and United has a 401(k) plan. What kind of benefit program will the combined company have?
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For now, we will maintain our current pay and benefit programs until the merger closes. Both companies are committed to driving a performance culture and offering market-competitive rewards and compensation to attract and retain a highly talented workforce. Once the merger closes, we will work to implement a compensation and benefit program that will enable the combined company to meet its goals.
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How will this affect the planned move to Willis Tower?
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As was originally announced, the operation and management headquarters for the combined airline will be in Chicago. We remain committed to the planned move to Willis Tower and its timeline.
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Where will our pilot training center be located? Will the SFO maintenance base close?
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Until the merger closes, United and Continental will continue to operate as independent companies. It will be business as usual, as we stay focused on running a successful airline. Today, operating as independent companies, United and Continental continually evaluate their facilities needs in the context of their ongoing business operations. Those types of decisions will continue as United and Continental fully integrate their operations after the merger closes.
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