American Airlines flight attendants demonstrate outside the White House in Washington, May 9, 2024.
Drew Angerer | AFP | Getty Images
The trade union I represent American airlines On Wednesday, flight attendants rejected the company’s offer for an immediate 17% pay raise.
CEO Robert Isom offered flight attendants an immediate 17% pay raise on Wednesday as contract talks continue without an agreement, raising the prospect of a strike.
The airline and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants are struggling to reach a novel contract agreement, differing on key issues such as pay. Flight attendants haven’t received a raise since before the pandemic.
“We have made progress in many key areas, but there is still much work to be done,” Isom said in a video message to stewards.
The union said both sides are scheduled to meet with federal mediators next week for a “last chance” to reach an agreement, adding that flight attendants were told to prepare for a strike.
Strikes among airline workers are extremely sporadic. The last one occurred in 2010 among Spirit Airlines pilots. If the two sides fail to reach an agreement, a release through federal mediators will be triggered, which will take several weeks.
“So to give you more money now, we have presented a proposal to APFA that offers an immediate 17% pay escalate and a novel formula that would escalate your share of the profits,” Isom said on Wednesday. “This means that we have offered increased pay to all stewards and we are not asking your union for anything in return. These are extraordinary times, but these are extraordinary times.”
Julie Hedrick, the union’s national president, said the airline should focus on preparing a long-term contract with flight attendants.
“It’s not like that,” she said.
Also on Wednesday, the union said it had opened a “strike command center” with dedicated phone lines and other resources to answer questions from cabin crew.
American airline pilots largely entered into novel employment contracts last year, while flight attendants at American, United Airlines and Alaska The airlines are still negotiating.
Last month, a bipartisan group of more than 160 Chamber representatives wrote to the National Mediation Council urging it to aid complete offers with airlines and stewards.