CHICAGO- United Airlines (UA) flight attendants overwhelmingly approved strike authorization, with 99.99% voting in favour and over 90% participation.
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) announced the results during informational pickets at nearly 20 airports nationwide.
United Airlines Flight Attendants Strike
Ken Diaz, president of the United AFA chapter, stated, “We deserve an industry-leading contract. Our strike vote shows we’re ready to do whatever it takes to reach the contract we deserve.” He emphasized the flight attendants’ crucial role, saying, “We are the face of United Airlines and planes don’t take off without us.”
This marks the first strike authorization vote for United flight attendants since the 2005 bankruptcy negotiations. Similar recent votes at American (AA), Alaska (AS), and Southwest Airlines (WN) have accelerated contract negotiations.
United flight attendants demand significant improvements, including:
- Double-digit base pay increases
- Compensation for ground time
- Retroactive pay to the contract’s amendable date
- Enhanced schedule flexibility
- Improved work rules
- Job security guarantees
- Better retirement benefits
The timing of the vote, coinciding with Labor Day travel, strategically reminds United management of the potential impact on operations if negotiations fail to progress.
Request to Release from NMB
Ken Diaz, president of the United chapter of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), criticizes management’s compensation practices, stating, “The United management team gives themselves massive compensation increases while Flight Attendants struggle to pay basic bills.”
The overwhelming vote demonstrates the union’s unity against perceived corporate greed. Diaz emphasizes the flight attendants’ determination to secure their “fair share of the profits we create.”
With strike authorization secured, the AFA can now request a release from the National Mediation Board (NMB). This action would trigger a 30-day “cooling off” period, potentially leading to a strike deadline.
The union employs a unique strike strategy called CHAOS
United flight attendants have been working under an amendable contract for nearly three years. They filed for federal mediation over eight months ago, highlighting the prolonged nature of the negotiations.
The AFA, representing 55,000 flight attendants, has advocated for the profession for over 79 years. As part of the 700,000-member Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO, the union wields significant influence in labor negotiations.
On April 11, 2024, United Airlines flight attendants and their advocates staged a protest outside Chicago O’Hare Airport (ORD), calling for improved wages and working conditions as part of a global day of action.
Approximately 200 United flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), gathered with signs and rallied outside Terminals 1 and 2. Similar pickets occurred at 16 other airports, spanning from New York to Los Angeles, Boston to Cleveland, and even as far as London and Guam.
What are your thoughts on United Airlines Flight Attendants’ decision to strike? Let us know in the comments.
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United Airlines Flight Attendants to Go on Strike as Negotiations Failed
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