On May 29, according to Reuters, the company memo showed that the three major US airlines American Airlines Group, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines were hit by the new coronavirus pandemic are launching new plans, prompting Ten thousand employees accept voluntary leave or early retirement in order to avoid concentrating on autumn leave.
A total of about 100,000 employees of these three airlines have accepted the proposal of temporary leave or permanent separation.
The reason why airlines continue to reduce staff is to keep their business in line with the sharp decline in air travel. However, they also try to keep enough workers, especially pilots who have received long training and are expensive, to provide services for any possible recovery in the future.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said at a meeting on Thursday that if an airline leaves too many workers on leave, “It’s almost impossible to achieve a rebound.”
United Airlines is negotiating with the union on voluntary options. Scott Kirby said that the focus of voluntary options is more Mostly the future performance rebound, not the current “survivability”.
Delta, with approximately 91,000 employees, announced on Thursday the details of an enhanced pension plan and a separate voluntary exit plan for long-term employees. The memo shows that both of these include cash severance payments, full medical insurance and travel benefits.
Delta Airlines said it will provide severance payments for 4 to 20 weeks, 12 months of medical care and travel benefits for employees who voluntarily quit. In addition, the enhanced retirement plan will provide up to 26 weeks of severance payments and more than 100,000 US dollars of medical accounts for retirees.
Delta Chief Executive Ed Bastian said in a memo to employees: “Every voluntary departure helps protect The work of the people most in need. ”He added:“ In the present and the foreseeable future, the environment will be full of challenges. ”
Delta Airlines said that most People’s enhanced retirement plan will begin on August 1.
According to the provisions of the US Federal Cares Act, American airlines receiving aid cannot force any job cuts or salary reductions by October 1. But after this date, if the totalThe number of employees still exceeds the required number, and airlines can adopt involuntary layoffs.
American Airlines, which has more than 100,000 employees, told its management and support staff on Wednesday that it must cut its staff by 30%, which is associated with United Airlines ’management and administration Employee plans for layoffs are the same.
Elise Eberwein, executive vice president of American Airlines, told employees in an email on Wednesday: “In the foreseeable future, we plan to operate a smaller Airlines. “
American Airlines is also discussing voluntary options with unions representing pilots and flight attendants, while Delta is discussing voluntary options with pilot unions.