By Jared Shelly

– American Airlines (which recently merged with US Airways) has reached collective bargaining agreements with approximately 11,000 maintenance training specialist, fleet service and mechanic and related employees.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers approved new contracts by 96, 86 and 67 percent respectively. The three-year accords provide significant wage hikes and industry-best job security while retaining affordable health insurance and preserving defined-benefit pension plans at the carrier, the union said.

American said the agreements will stay in effect for the US Airways workers until a joint collective bargaining agreement covering the 30,000 employees of the new American can be reached, according to the Dallas Business Journal.

American merged with US Airways back in December.

“We are now well situated to begin joint contract talks with our Transport Worker Union (TWU) sisters and brothers to achieve the best contracts in the airline industry at the world’s largest airline,” said IAM Transportation General Vice President Sito Pantoja.

Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/morning_roundup/2014/07/11-000-us-airways-union-workers-approve-new-deal.html