CHICAGO: United Airlines said it warned some 14,000 employees that they might be furloughed, and aviation unions made a new request to Congress and President Joe Biden for another $15 billion in government assistance to keep workers on the payroll through at least Sept. 30.
Chicago-based United warned that once a second round of payroll support expires on April 1, airlines could be forced to make drastic new cuts as the coronavirus pandemic has slashed demand for air travel.
United had recalled 13,000 employees from furlough when a $15 billion airline industry payroll package was passed in December to protect jobs through March.
“Despite ongoing efforts to distribute vaccines, customer demand has not changed much’’, United told employees.
The $15 billion in December helped bring back more than 32,000 airline employees and followed a $50 billion package in March for passenger airlines divided between payroll assistance and low-cost government loans.
Union leaders representing 75,000 flight attendants wrote congressional leaders seeking quick action to extend the payroll support program “with $15 billion to protect jobs” through September 30 or later.
— Reuters
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