American Airlines flight attendants' union rejects offer of pay raise

The union that represents American Airlines Flight attendants on Wednesday rejected the corporate's proposal to instantly increase their salaries by 17%.

CEO Robert Isom offered flight attendants a right away 17% pay raise Wednesday morning as labor negotiations continued without an agreement and the potential of a strike loomed.

The airline and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants have struggled to succeed in a brand new collective agreement as a consequence of disagreements on key issues, comparable to pay. Flight attendants haven’t received a pay raise because the pandemic.

“We have made progress in a number of key areas, but there is still much work to be done,” Isom said in a video message to flight attendants.

The union said the 2 sides would meet with federal mediators next week to make a “final attempt” to succeed in an agreement, adding that flight attendants were told to arrange for a strike.

Strikes amongst airlines are extremely rare; the last strike was amongst Spirit Airlines pilots in 2010. If the 2 parties cannot reach an agreement, a release can be initiated by federal mediators, a process that will take several weeks.

“To get you more money now, we have submitted a proposal to APFA that includes immediate 17% wage increases and a new formula to increase your profit sharing,” Isom said Wednesday. “This means we have offered all flight attendants a raise and are asking nothing in return from your union. This is unusual, but we live in unusual times.”

Julie Hedrick, the union's national president, said the airline's focus must be on figuring out a longer-term agreement with flight attendants.

“It’s not that,” she said.

Also on Wednesday, the union said it had arrange a “strike command center” with dedicated phone lines and other resources to reply questions from cabin crew.

The pilots of US airlines have mostly signed latest collective agreements prior to now 12 months, while the flight attendants at American, United Airlines and Alaska The airlines are still negotiating.

Last month, a bipartisan group of greater than 160 House members wrote to the National Mediation Board, urging it to assist Complete offers with airlines and flight attendants.