American’s flight attendants threw in with US Airways in its attempt to take over American in bankruptcy.
Both airlines’ flight attendants agreed on a dollar value for their contract as part of that arrangement. In other words, they set a minimum amount that the airline would spend on raises for flight attendants if the merger went through. They’d negotiate a contract, but if negotiations fell through there was an agreed-upon floor.
They got $81 million more than that, even after they rejected their more-generous contract. And they still think they’re getting hosed.