The Association of Professional Flight Attendants – representing the workers at American – announced they have asked for a release from federal mediation to begin a formal strike.

 

American Flight Attendant Strike Could Begin 30 Days After Release

Under the Railway Labor Act – which also governs airline employees – workers can only walk off the job if the union submits a request to the National Mediation Board for a release. If the release is granted, the strike can begin after a 30-day cooling-off period.

 

The union is accusing American Airlines of extending the negotiating process and not coming “with the economic and non-economic improvements our flight attendants need to see.” The AFPA issued a deadline of November 13 to receive an offer from the Fort Worth-based carrier – one the union says has come and gone without progress.

 

“Every day negotiations drag on is money saved for American Airlines,” said Julie Hedrick, national president of the APFA, in a press release. “And every day that goes by, the situation for Flight Attendants gets more dire…American Airlines reports record profits while our full-time Flight Attendants qualify for public assistance. This has to stop now.”

 

According to the APFA, employees have been working under a contract passed in 2014, without a raise since 2019. They claim that while airline executives have earned millions of dollars in wages and bonuses, the same fortunes have not been passed down to the workers.

 

The National Mediation Board has not yet granted a release, which would begin the 30-day countdown. American has not publicly commented on the union’s permission to strike.

 

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Feature image courtesy: Manny Becerra on Unsplash

Source: frugal travel guy