Resolution to Condemn United Airlines for the Lawsuit Against the City and County of San Francisco’s Equal Benefits Law

Whereas United Airlines, individually and as a member of the Air Transport Association (ATA), has joined Pat Robertson’s American Center for Law and Justice in its suit against the City and County of San Francisco for a statute requiring that city contractors provide the same benefits for all unmarried domestic partners as provided spouses;

Whereas United Airlines has refused to comply with any part of the San Francisco law, including bereavement leave and partner travel benefits despite a court ruling upholding the ordinance in regards to those benefits;

Whereas in great part due to this law, the availability of equal benefits for domestic partners, including insurance coverage, has grown exponentially and are now available to hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens, and has become standard in many industries;

Whereas United Airlines itself has recognized the value of such benefits and provides them in Australia and some European countries, but refuses to provide them to its U.S. workers;

Whereas United Airlines has accepted other local jurisdiction requirements, such as adhering to the Los Angeles Living Wage Ordinance;

Therefore, be it resolved that Pride At Work condemns that United Airlines lawsuit against the City and County of San Francisco in an attempt to invalidate the Equal Benefits Ordinance entirely, and calls upon United to end their alliance with Pat Robertson and ACLR and withdraw their lawsuit against San Francisco;

Therefore, be it further resolved that Pride At Work participates in protests against United’s discriminatory practices, and supports all workers of United in their struggle for non-discriminatory and fair compensation;

Therefore, be further resolved that Pride At Work members, whenever possible, avoid flying United Airlines and if members do fly United, that they announce their support for the Equal Benefits Ordinance, so long as the company refuses to honor this ordinance;

Therefore, be it finally resolved that Pride At Work calls upon United to become a leader in the airline industry and begin providing equal benefits for all their workers as a matter of fairness and equality, with particular recognition of the value of their LGBT workers.

Submitted by: Phillip Babcock, SF Bay Area Pride At Work