United pilots call for CEO to resign

CHICAGO, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Pilots at Chicago's United Airlines are calling for a change of leadership at the country's second largest airline, a union official said.

Steve Wallach, chairman of the United Master Executive Council, which leads the Air Line Pilots Association, said United Chief Executive Officer Glenn Tilton had neglected the airline's day-to-day functions in favor of a merger, the Chicago Tribune reported. United has explored possible mergers with Delta, Continental and US Airways.

"I think that there's been a lack of leadership, which is why our airline has been dragged to the bottom of the industry," Wallach told the Tribune.

"Glenn's only plan outside of bankruptcy was to merge," Wallach said.

The union has posted a Web site at www.GlennTilton.com, which details what it feels is mismanagement at the airline, the Tribune reported.

The airline called the move an "obvious and predictable attempt to deflect attention from ALPA's illegal activity cited in our lawsuit," company spokeswoman Jean Medina said.

In July, United filed a suit against the union for allegedly organizing a sick-out in protest of 1,450 pilot jobs the company plans to cut this fall, the newspaper reported.