United unions protest exec pay

0 Comments | USA TODAY, March, 2007 | by Marilyn Adams

In a rare joint protest, five unions at United Airlines issued a statement Tuesday complaining of low pay, short staffing and excessive executive compensation at the No. 2 airline.

The protest from unions representing 30,000 United employees came one day after the Chicago-based carrier reported 2006 executive compensation in a securities filing, and 14 months after it exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. United said its top five executives received $25.7 million in the form of cash, stock or exercisable stock options. Of that, CEO Glenn Tilton received $9.3 million, the filing said.

"Throughout United's bankruptcy, 'shared sacrifice' was the mantra employees heard from upper management," the unions' statement said. "Executives have failed to lead by...