Technicians at United Airlines reject China outsourcing proposal

The Teamsters Union represents more than 10,000 United Airlines maintenance technicians across the United States. Simple Flying has asked United Airlines for comment.

In 2024, United Airlines reported pre-tax earnings of $4.2 billion and adjusted net income of $3.5 billion. Despite the company's financial performance, its technicians have sought stronger employment contracts, including increased pay, higher safety standards, and better health care coverage.

O'Brien remarked, "United raked in $4 billion in profits last year off the backs of highly skilled, hardworking Teamsters who keep planes flying safely. Rather than reward them, United wants to gut good American jobs and gamble with safety."

The technicians have also expressed dissatisfaction with United Airlines sending aircraft offshore for heavy maintenance, something the union highlighted earlier in March 2025. O'Brien described this as a reckless race to the bottom that the Teamsters Union would not condone.

On March 13, 2025, United Airlines' maintenance workers rallied at the carrier's San Francisco Maintenance Base. This was not the first rally, with technicians having previously picketed in 2024 and March 2025.

United Airlines operates one of the largest fleets globally, consisting of 1,015 aircraft with an average age of 17.2 years.

It is a common practice for airlines worldwide to outsource maintenance of widebody aircraft to specialists, as these checks are extensive and cost-intensive. Airlines in the US, Europe, and Asia often use outside vendors to reduce costs or manage capacity.