United Airlines and its pilots have reached an agreement that both sides say will avoid about 2,850 furloughs that were set to take effect later this week and another 1,000 early next year. The Air Line Pilots Association said Monday that the deal will allow United to spread a reduced amount of flying across the airline's 13,000 pilots to save jobs at least until next June. "Our members understood that in order to protect pilot jobs, we needed to approve this agreement,” said Todd Insler, chairman of the union's United Airlines council. The agreement was ratified by about 58% of the pilots who voted on it. The United deal is the latest between airlines, which are cutting costs sharply during the pandemic downturn in travel, and their labor unions, which seek to save as many jobs as they can. It comes as United, American and some smaller airlines prepare to shed thousands of workers on Thursday, when $25 billion in federal pandemic-relief aid and a related prohibition on furloughs expires.Read more on NewsOK.com