[P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt][SPAN style=FONT-SIZE: 14pt][FONT face=Times New Roman]For Immediate Release[?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = urn:schemas-microsoft-com😱ffice😱ffice /][o😛][/o😛][/FONT][/SPAN][BR]
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[P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt][SPAN style=FONT-SIZE: 14pt][FONT face=Times New Roman]September 17, 2002[o😛][/o😛][/FONT][/SPAN][BR]
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[P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center align=center][B style=mso-bidi-font-weight: normal][SPAN style=FONT-SIZE: 18pt][FONT face=Times New Roman]US Airways Passenger Agents Approve Settlement,[o😛][/o😛][/FONT][/SPAN][/B][BR]
[P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center align=center][B style=mso-bidi-font-weight: normal][SPAN style=FONT-SIZE: 18pt][FONT face=Times New Roman]Communications Workers of America Reports[o😛][/o😛][/FONT][/SPAN][/B][BR]
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[P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]WASHINGTON, D.C. – US Airways passenger service agents have ratified a new contract settlement which will help the troubled airline through wage and other concessions while giving employees access to new jobs and setting up a process to strengthen retirement security.[/FONT][BR]
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[P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt][FONT size=3][FONT face=Times New Roman][SPAN style=mso-tab-count: 1] [/SPAN]The group, including 8,000 active employees and another 2,500 on furlough, are represented by the Communications Workers of America. The group includes reservations agents, ticket counter and gate agents and employees at US Airways Club locations.[/FONT][/FONT][BR]
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[P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt][FONT size=3][FONT face=Times New Roman][SPAN style=mso-tab-count: 1] [/SPAN]The settlement was approved by 74.8 percent of those who participated in the ratification balloting which was overseen by the American Arbitration Assn.[/FONT][/FONT][BR]
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[P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt][FONT size=3][FONT face=Times New Roman][SPAN style=mso-tab-count: 1] [/SPAN]The new contract, which runs through Jan. 1, 2009, sets a top salary rate of $20.05 per hour (an 8-percent cut) along with a 25-cent per hour customer contact premium. There are no salary reductions for those earning less than $30,000 a year.[/FONT][/FONT][BR]
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[P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt][FONT size=3][FONT face=Times New Roman][SPAN style=mso-tab-count: 1] [/SPAN]Salaries will begin increasing on Jan. 1, 2005, rising in increments by 8.75 percent over the next four years.[/FONT][/FONT][BR]
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[P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt][FONT size=3][FONT face=Times New Roman][SPAN style=mso-tab-count: 1] [/SPAN]The employees agreed to other concessions – most of them temporary – in the areas of health care, overtime pay, vacation pay and holidays – but were also able to make gains in other areas.[SPAN style=mso-spacerun: yes] [/SPAN]These include improvements in the 401(k) savings plan, a 2-percent distribution of post-bankruptcy stock, new jobs at US Airways Express and Internet services, and union recognition at Mid Atlantic Airways, a new airline created by US Airways.[/FONT][/FONT][BR]
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[P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt][FONT size=3][FONT face=Times New Roman][SPAN style=mso-tab-count: 1] [/SPAN]The settlement also calls for a joint task force to explore development of a defined benefit pension plan as close to Jan. 1, 2003 as possible.[SPAN style=mso-spacerun: yes] [/SPAN]The agents lost their previous pension plan 12 years ago before they had union representation.[/FONT][/FONT][BR]
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[P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]More details on the settlement can be found at:[SPAN style=mso-spacerun: yes] [/SPAN]www.cwa.net.[/FONT][BR]
[P class=MsoNormal style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in][FONT size=3][FONT face=Times New Roman][o😛][/o😛][/FONT][/FONT][SPAN style=FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA]CWA represents a total of 700,000 workers overall in telecommunications, journalism, broadcast and cable TV, electronics manufacturing, and the public sector, as well as the airline industry.[/SPAN][/P]