United Continental pilots vote to strike

After two years of talks, pilots at United Continental Holdings have voted to authorize a strike. The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents pilots for what were United and Continental Airlines before the two merged in 2010, reports 99% of the voters supported a withdrawal of services, if required. Pilots from United and Continental have been working without new contracts since agreeing to concessions in the airline industry’s financial traumas last decade, during which United went into bankruptcy and Continental underwent cost-cutting measures. ALPA represents 7,600 pilots at United Airlines and 4,800 pilots at Continental Airlines.