Negotiations Fail: American Airways Flight Attendants Instructed To Put together To Strike
by Gary Leff on June 20, 2024
The American Airways flight attendants union has instructed its members,
We don’t consider additional negotiations can be scheduled previous to the Nationwide Mediation Board figuring out to launch the events right into a thirty-day cooling-off interval. All American Airways Flight Attendants ought to put together for an upcoming strike.
In keeping with the e-mail, the union and firm “stay aside on the important thing points” together with the date on which wages will increase start and on retro pay. Retro pay was anticipated to be the largest problem, at the same time as American elevated its pay supply and the union decreased its calls for.
Flight attendants haven’t had a pay enhance since January 1, 2019. Their contract grew to become amendable 4 and a half years in the past.
Usually you’ll anticipate a signing bonus of some sort, however not a full make-good on misplaced raises for 4 and a half years. Nonetheless Southwest Airways simply did a brand new flight attendant contract that included retro pay.
From the specifics of the union electronic mail it sounds as if progress was made in talks in every of the final two weeks. That means there’s loads of floor for the Nationwide Mediation Board to not declare an deadlock because the events are getting nearer. Nonetheless the union believes that they are going to achieve this.
The Nationwide Mediation Board should first declare an impasseThat begins a 30-day cooling off periodAfter which the events can select to have interaction in “self-help” together with a strike
The union doesn’t should strike immediately, and so they’ve talked about focusing on particular flights that may change every day, slightly than an all-out work stoppage, with a view to get most crewmembers paid whereas nonetheless inflicting most disruption to the airline. The union lacks the money to fund strike funds and has instructed flight attendants to organize to overlook bank card funds.
Even when a 30-day cooling off interval begins, it’s doable that the events may keep away from a strike. Hopefully they are going to handle that, as a result of a strike doesn’t profit both aspect. Junior flight attendants can’t afford to go with out pay. The airline already has challenges affording what they’re providing in negotiations.
The largest beneficiary of a strike, and any ensuing larger wages, can be unions at United and Alaska which might be negotiating contracts. Events will view what American Airways flight attendants obtain as a place to begin – with out first having to undergo a strike.
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