Airline employees have a very powerful negotiating tool to obtain better wages, hours and quality of life. After overcoming many obstacles, they may go on strike, which essentially paralyzes the airline.
In some industries, a company may threaten to use non-union “scab” workers. However, that is not a viable alternative when it comes to pilots or flight attendants, as there are not a significant number of people trained and certified to do those jobs waiting to be replaced.
Related: Iconic Las Vegas Strip attraction closing as end nears
However, striking is not something airline employees do lightly, at least in part because they know the ill will they will create among passengers. Additionally, under the Federal Railroad Labor Law, unions and their airlines must resort to federal mediation to resolve their differences.
A union can request to be released from mediation, but even if that request is granted, there is a 30-day cooling-off period and steps President Joe Biden could take to delay a strike. Still, although the time may be long, American Airlines (AAL) – Get a free report Flight attendants have openly stated that they are fed up.
At a company-wide meeting after the airline reported its earnings, flight attendant union president Julie Hedrick appeared with other flight attendants wearing red union T-shirts “that stood for ‘We Are Ready’ (acronym: WAR). “. View from the wing reported.
He spoke during the open question-and-answer portion of the meeting and noted that flight attendants had not received a raise in five years.
Arena Media Brands, LLC and the respective content providers of this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website.
Image source: Shutterstock
American Airlines and its flight attendants are at odds
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom addressed the issue, without being too specific, in response to Hedrick’s question.
“They’re going to receive compensation and benefits that are the best in the industry. They can say it’s not enough to match Delta or whoever. I understand that. That’s why we negotiate,” he said.
Delta Airlines (give it) – Get a free report He recently gave his flight attendants a 5% raise and set a timeline for future raises. Delta is generally considered to have the highest compensation for flight attendants, but determining that is a bit relative since salary is not the only factor.
American Airlines flight attendants voted to authorize a strike and 99% of members approved a work stoppage. The union wants a 50% salary increase.
“American Airlines has offered Delta-level wages, including boarding pay, along with higher profit sharing, higher training pay, and higher retirement contributions. The initial pay increase would be 11%, followed by increases of 2% in each of the remaining years of the 5-year contract,” according to View From the Wing.
The union has revised its demands to an initial 35% raise with 6% increases each year thereafter.
American Airlines flight attendants would use ‘CHAOS’ strike
When a union goes on strike, that means its workers don’t get paid. The American Airlines flight attendants union does not have the war chest necessary to pay its members in the event of a strike. That’s why the union may try a different tactic, according to View From the Wing’s Gary Leff.
He said the flight attendants are not planning a traditional strike (although they have publicly threatened one).
“They are planning to surprise the airline by not showing up for work on specific flights, which can change from day to day. It’s a tactic the rival AFA-CWA union calls CHAOS (‘Create Havoc Around Our System’). This allows the majority of flight attendants to be paid most days of work, so that they do not have to endure financial strains that they are less capable of managing than the company,” he wrote.
READY TO GO? Let our expert travel team help you get the best deal possible.
The union would still need to be released from mediation and the cooling-off period approved before any industrial action could take place.