United Airlines mechanics vote to ratify new contract

Union mechanics at United Airlines on Monday ratified a six-year joint collective bargaining agreement with the airline, marking the end to several years of contract talks between the two parties.

Backed by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, maintenance technicians at Chicago-based United, the No. 3 U.S. airline by passenger traffic, will see pay hikes that will put their compensation packages "2 percent above the highest compensation in the industry every two years."

(Reporting by Alana Wise, editing by G Crosse)