Summary

  • American Airlines flight attendants, represented by the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), stated that the airline has failed to offer an adequate deal despite years of negotiations.
  • Now, after a 30-day cooling-off period, the airline’s flight attendants will be able to strike, which could result in potential flight disruptions.
  • The airline and APFA have been negotiating for years.

American Airlines and its flight attendants, represented by the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), have failed to reach an agreement on a new labor deal, moving the union one step closer to a strike.

Inadequate compensation

In a statement on June 20, Julie Hedrick, the National President of the APFA, said that despite years of bargaining and a year of mediated talks with the airline’s management, American Airlines failed to offer a deal that would have adequately compensated the carrier’s 28,000 flight attendants.

“Flight Attendants will move the process forward to secure overdue economic improvements.”

American Airlines Boeing 737-800 at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

Photo: Leonard Zhukovsky | Shutterstock

According to the union, flight attendants will continue internal preparations to strike. APFA’s members will be guided by the negotiation process outlined by the Railway Labor Act (RLA). The strike will have to occur after a 30-day cooling-off period.

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Strike command center

On June 5, APFA announced that it was already preparing for a strike with the opening of the APFA Strike Command Center (SCC), which was located at the union’s headquarters in Euless, Texas, the United States, just south of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).

An American Airlines A321 taking off from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock

The SCC was staffed with people to answer flight attendants’ questions and concerns, produce video and text materials during a potential strike, and communicate with flight attendants before and during a strike.

“APFA has committed to Members that a tentative agreement will only be presented if it meets our economic requirements, including retroactive compensation for five years of stagnant wages. Given American Airlines management’s inadequate proposals at the bargaining table, all members should be readying themselves for a possible strike.”

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Approving a strike in August 2023

APFA’s members approved a strike, with 99.7% voting members voting in favor of a strike in August 2023. At the time, the union outlined that negotiations with American Airlines have not produced a collective labor agreement (CLA) that would have included pay raises and quality of life improvements that flight attendants had wanted to see.

American airlines oneworld aircraft

Photo: oneworld alliance

Still, APFA detailed that the strike would go off only in the case that the two sides cannot reach an agreement in front of the National Mediation Board (NMB), with the strike vote assuring the flight attendants’ right to strike following the 30-day cooling-off period.

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