The American Airlines flight attendants union has told its members,
We do not believe further negotiations will be scheduled prior to the National Mediation Board determining to release the parties into a thirty-day cooling-off period. All American Airlines Flight Attendants should prepare for an upcoming strike.
According to the email, the union and company “remain apart on the key issues” including the date on which wages increases begin and on retro pay. Retro pay was expected to be the biggest issue, even as American increased its pay offer and the union reduced its demands.
- Flight attendants haven’t had a pay increase since January 1, 2019. Their contract became amendable four and a half years ago.
- Normally you would expect a signing bonus of some kind, but not a full make-good on lost raises for four and a half years. However Southwest Airlines just did a new flight attendant contract that included retro pay.
From the specifics of the union email it sounds as though progress was made in talks in each of the last two weeks. That suggests there is plenty of ground for the National Mediation Board not to declare an impasse since the parties are getting closer. However the union believes that they will do so.
- The National Mediation Board must first declare an impasse
- That starts a 30-day cooling off period
- After which the parties can choose to engage in “self-help” including a strike
The union does not have to strike right away, and they’ve talked about targeting specific flights that might change each day, rather than an all-out work stoppage, in order to get most crewmembers paid while still causing maximum disruption to the airline. The union lacks the cash to fund strike payments and has told flight attendants to prepare to miss credit card payments.
Even if a 30-day cooling off period starts, it is possible that the parties could avoid a strike. Hopefully they will manage that, because a strike doesn’t benefit either side. Junior flight attendants can’t afford to go without pay. The airline already has challenges affording what they’re offering in negotiations.
The biggest beneficiary of a strike, and any resulting higher wages, will be unions at United and Alaska that are negotiating contracts. Parties will view what American Airlines flight attendants achieve as a starting point – without first having to go through a strike.
Let the sky waitresses strike and hopefully AA will lock them out and hire replacements. If they hate the job so much they can see what it is like with it. Personally, I’m fine dealing with short term pain for long term gain. Companies need to grow a spine and show workers (and the union flunkies) who is boss.
You didn’t mention that American FAs could be enjoying a 17% pay increase today while continuing to work towards the final contract agreement.
The fact that the union chose to withhold such a significant pay increase from those who so desperately need it is mind blowing.
Everyone looks so happy
let those big boys on the front row live up to their signs.
I wonder if American Airlines will start training replacements if the 30 day period starts.
@ Gary — Much ado about nothing. AA FAs won’t go on strike.
@jns
It doesn’t seem AA cares they rescinded job offers for people who were supposed to go to training. It’s definitely a garbage airline that does not think ahead
They were offered an immediate, 17% pay increase. The union balked. The union is the problem.
Oh, how I wish we lived in a free society. Most of these “problems” wouldn’t exist. Simply placing the rights of the employer on par with the employees, would remove so much of this nonsense.
Good. They suck at their jobs and are (in most cases) currently overpaid. It should be a pay-for-performance type scheme. 2 complaints in a year, no raise that year. 2 compliments, bonus. Get these losers out of the galley and into the aisle again.
I was a flight attendant for four years and had a wonderful time. It truly enhanced my life.The skills I developed in those four years have served me well in my subsequent career.. But I knew the job wouldn’t provide the lifestyle I wanted forever–how could it? After all, one day I was a college student, 6 weeks later I was a flight attendant.
If AA would be able to still take off and land the planes, I doubt that most of us would miss them. It might even be an improvement.
Totally agree that any union that turns down 17% with zero detriment to future negotiations is NOT working for nor representing their members. Why can’t the FA’s see that?
If FAA Allowed commercial flights without FAs their absence would actually be an improvement to the AA experience.
Loser union leadership is the problem here. They turned down a 17% raise. Best part is they reelected these turds to represent them for another term. May they reap what they’ve sewn. Go on strike, get another job, quit, sell your feet pics online, make an only fans account, or just be quiet.
Little Bobby could’ve offered that 17% at any point in time in the past. He didn’t do that out of the goodness of his heart. Most likely he already saw bookings start to soften. There are strings attached but to the casual observer they aren’t apparent.
I’m sure they don’t care but I doubt many people have much sympathy for FAs. Sure I don’t think they should have to put up with some of the idiots that fly but too many of them don’t do their job, have bad attitudes, and abuse their “power”.
And what many of them are asking for and in some cases have received I think is excessive for the work they do.
There’s always some miserable yokels on this thread whining that slavery was abolished.
If you received poor treatment from a flight attendant, you probably deserved it.
Nothing and nobody will ever be good enough for you. You also bitch about not getting upgrades and the seats and the inflight entertainment and on time performance… And… And… And… And… And… SHUT THE EFF UP!
You need to recognize that YOU have no problem. While you’re bitching here on this blog, you know what time it is when we’re on the plane.
“Fasten your FN seatbelt like we just announced 5 times already, stupid”
Replace them with non union contract workers.
Get rid of the geriatric old bags once and for all.
Robert Isom should call Mr. Crandall about what happens when the FAs strike.
Mr. Crandall got schooled.
Oh no, so if they strike I won’t get to enjoy the AA FA’s great “service”? A deal must get done! By now you know your customers hate you, your employer hates you, and the feeling is mutual. Maybe just go do something else for a living?
If the FA union does this cowardly piecemeal “strike” that is in no way legally a strike, I hope AA fires every single FA that doesn’t show up for work. You can bet the senior FAs and union reps won’t be the cannon fodder though.
Reading the comments from The Galley Llama does nothing more than confirm the views of those individuals who lambast FA’s for their low-quality performance. She/He exemplifies it.
Nobody wins in a strike. And no strike fund?
If the F/A group have been offered 17% take it, both hands.
Thank you to @The Galley Llama
Finally, someone on this absurdly right-wing site understands how things really work.
Usually, all you hear from are whinny, self-important white men who are angry that the world is changing and they can’t do anything about it.
And yes, I am a middle-aged white man
@llama
I hope you all get fired. You deserve nothing less. Most of us passengers are cheering for AA. And when it’s all done, you’ll be unemployable in the field. No airline is going to take a chance on hiring worthless troublemakers.
Looks like you’ll be back at Starbucks in no time…..and that’s right where you belong.
@Tom K from Seattle
White uncle tom, aka a liberal
If they go on strike, what will we do without AA’s world renowned, industry leading, exemplary flight attendants providing amazing flagship service to each and every customer on the aircraft? What will we do? Oh, the humanity!
In my experience the last few years, the overall demeanor and basic service from the flight attendants working the American Eagle routes are night and day different from their mainline counterparts.
I’m excited for this strike. I hope it goes on for a long time. The airline needs a lock out.
Offer them a 30% pay raise for beginning FAs and pay cuts for everybody else making more.
For all of you saying “hire replacements”, good luck replacing 28,000 flight attendants quickly. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY wants to work for poverty wages. The company proposed 17% “raise” comes with many strings attached. The way AA manages negotiations, this is a contract FA’s will be stuck with for a decade plus. What many of you nasty people in the comments fail to recognize is that a large percentage of this work group indeed have college degrees and post secondary education. Flight attendants are not stupid (why do you think they haven’t bitten on the crappy offers made?). “They only serve drinks in the sky”… negative. I’ve seen crew perform CPR and provide medical help to passengers with my own eyes. Yes, theoretically they could jump ship. However every single airline is determined to undermine this position. I say this coming from a pilots perspective of course. Im glad they are standing up to the corporate greed. A strike will bring AA to its knees.
I find it hard to believe the very negative comments toward flight attendants and their demands for just compensation. Come on now, they have not had a raise in 5 years. Most workers today, even low paid ones, are making more than in 2019. Attendants work long hard hours with lay overs and nights away from home and family. They put up with unruly passengers and passengers who assault them and treat them badly. They also provide for our safety on a flight and have often been heroic in an emergency. Enough of bashing them. On top of all this, their bodies take a beating everyday helping thousands of passengers with their heavy bags and other duties. They deserve to be compensated well and retroactively as well.
I imagine the majority of passengers are pretty good passengers. While there are bad flight attendants I imagine the majority are good too. But reading these comments I’m like damn if they deal with these people they do deserve a raise. When in first class it’s expected to get served often, but I’m not sure what these other commenters are expecting in coach. The flight attendants can only serve what they are given. So when they are out of stuff what do you expect them to do? Maybe blame the company not providing more. Like when they did away with meals on most domestic flights. It’s pretty laughable. I think it mostly comes down to adults that haven’t been told no by anyone since high school and get an ego that they have to follow rules from flight attendants.
Replace the flight attendants with robots. Stop the travel $$ increases because of tacking on billions of dollars for skinny females who frown when serving water and won’t help you with your carry-on.
FAs like it or not is a low skill job. Other than people skills which many seem to lack, there isn’t anything technical or challenging to do. That is just a reality. And if you think the job is so bad, and the pay is so low, then just quit and find something with better prospects. Oh wait, many can’t because they would have trouble finding anything better.
I really don’t have issues with FAs but at the same time this “just compensation” isn’t true, they want compensation that exceeds their value. I don’t see airlines having shortages of FAs.
I’ve been a flight attendant for 38 years with Legacy AA and what I believe could and may happen is that the flight attendants will go on strike at a time that demand is softening (heck AA just announced the cancellation for future pilot training “hello” turbulent times are coming) and the strike leads to higher debt and a bleed of money, which if the company played their cards right could file for bankruptcy and scrap ALL contracts and become a low cost carrier and come back and be a lean Spirit Airlines. I do agree with some of the opinions on here with the exception of tearing people down for their jobs, we’re all to some degree above it.. Right?
As for the APFA and the company, both could’ve done better. The union and Joe Burns should be investigated, the union spends dues monies like a gambler with his quarter. APFA is about ready to drive the membership over a cliff with Joe Burns at the wheel and AA is still kicking the can without plan.
Many people complain about the poor service they receive however I believe most of the anger and complaints are misguided. The airline has made many major cutbacks financially (because this is what happens when a company makes its former CFO their current CEO). When money is the predominant concern from the top down (as is evident by the CEO securing his own raise before negotiating labor contracts for workers). Passengers will notice other losses and shortages as well for example: blankets and pillows are no longer provisioned on many flights. Food options are now limited or completely non existent. In flight entertainment is nearly no longer in seat backs because the technology is expensive to maintain. Even beverages are now limited, Flight Attendants simply cannot serve what they do not have.
The things (aside from the crew) that have been put in place for passenger comfort and convenience have all but disappeared in an effort to put profit over people.
The company has created an environment wherein it has become increasingly more difficult to provide a more than adequate experience from a customer service standpoint.
@Ralphy, at least you are considering the different arguments that can be made for different views of what is going on. If the United Flight attendants were smart, they would be at the same place in negotiations so a strike could be solidarity against several large airlines. Otherwise it is divide and conquer.
JNS, I agree with you. That would be the “perfect storm” for labor, but the NMB and the government will not allow that to happen. Too big to fail comes to mind.
@Tom K. I like the high road where people of character assess arguments based on the quality of the arguments rather than the DNA of the presenter. You are aware that this old, cis/hetero, rich, white male had control of only one of those (OK, I could choose to be “not old” which would preclude my participation here)? It’s acceptable to many belittle my stance because I’m male or white. It’s not acceptable to belittle one’s stance if they are female or a POC. The latter is certainly right; the former certainly is nit. Or, do you take the stance that we may judge opinions based on the race, gender, etc. of the one issuing the opinion?
Hey Gary: Please explain again to all the morons here how CHAOS works because they clearly don’t know.
No one is getting fired and no one is being replaced.
Learn what CHAOS is. All you can depend upon is that YOUR flight probably won’t be operating.
With the attitudes I see here, tough. You deserve it.
Most FAs treat you as you treat them. Why do people think AA FAs don’t deserve a raise that at least covers inflation? That is equivalent to asking for NO RAISE. What is wrong with YOU people? I bet you expect a bigger raise at your job.
1. The NMB tightly controls when the FAs can strike. Wonder why this is if they’re so invaluable? The last time AA FAs went in strike, President Clinton stepped in and ended it. Guys, you don’t understand the ramification. Not just for AA, but for the economy. FAs are pretty darn important it seems. And not to get you a drink or even give you medical help. All that aside, there’s obviously a more important role you don’t understand. Unless the FAA are just silly gooses;)
2. There are 27,000 AA FAs. A two hour storm went through DFW a few weeks ago, leaving passengers and crews stranded for days. Mostly due to the logistics of getting crews where they needed to be. Imagine if 27,000 FAs don’t work. The planes can’t take off without the minimum requirement set by the FAA. The effects will be massive. Which will spread out to all airlines with people trying to book on them.
3. It is not possible to replace 27,000 FAs. 6 week training. It would take years and years. Lock them out? Take the airline down with that decision. (Of course all us tax payers will bail them out)
4. The Lufthansa FAs went on strike for 2 days. The strikes they faced cost the airline $375 million dollars. It would be hard to quantify the cost to the greater economy of 1000s of cancelled flights. This is so much bigger than many are understanding.
5. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; If there is a culture problem at a company, MBA 101 says there’s an issue with leadership. I seriously doubt all 27,000 AA FAs are rude, miserable, worthless, uneducated people. Especially if they made it through the selective hiring process. If you see regular issues, did you ever once think that there is a bigger problem that needs to be addressed?
6. Inflation since 2019 with no raise equates to a massive pay cut for FAs. How dare anyone act like they should accept that.
7. Isom’s offer for a 17% pay raise was a pathetic propaganda tactic to win public favor and make the FAs look bad to the greater public that don’t understand. I can’t believe so many haven’t seen through that. Accepting that would’ve hurt the union’s negotiations. Thank goodness the union and the flight attendants are smart enough to play chess not checkers.
8. FAs should quit and get new jobs if they don’t like it? And give up their retro pay checks? After putting up with 5 years of the company stalling negotiations? Now that would be stupid. Luckily FAs are not stupid. Also, just think if the FAs who fought to not be fired when they got married or gained some weight “just quit” when they didn’t like it?
9. So many obviously are underestimating FAs. I would reconsider if I were you;)
bella,
LH FAs went on strike multiple times; the 2 day strike was just part of it including by other labor groups.
Justin,
the issue is about how friendly or not AA FAs are. Everyone and no one else controls how they treat other people .
FA’s major arguement seems to be one of extortion. Thats your only value, because unlike pilots, you are unskilled labor. Literally anyone could do your job, and yes, tens if thousands would apply on day 1 of a strike to do your job for less than you earn now. 2 weeks later and the key routes will be up and running, 6 weeks later the full schedule, and the world will be a better place with another airline going non union.
What you fail to understand is that only loser FAs make a career of it, most just want to do it for a few years for the lifestyle, then move on. Experience makes you just bitter, grumpy and entitled, and worse at your job. Don’t blame it on corporate greed, it’s about your shitty attitude, not the lack of blankets.
I’ll just say it again. It’s truly amazing the way APFA leadership has allowed AFA and the AFL-CIO to use a union without any money to strike to do the dirty work for their unions with ample money to strike.
Walk by the afl-cio building in dc and you’ll realize the corruption at the afl-cio and where their money goes…
Truly mind blowing the way apfa is about to strike and be put to the street by AFA, a union with actual money to strike that would prefer to let apfa do their dirty work.
APFA, strike if you want to (it’s your right), but it sure is dumb how you got to this point and are completely used by a union with actual money.
United and Afa are just as far apart but you sure don’t hear Sara Nelson screaming for Afa to strike now, she’s happy to let a union that doesn’t even vote for her do it
They pay less than Mcdonalds. Good luck hiring replacements at the lowest wages in the country. plus 4-6 week training with no pay. Moving expenses, The whole argument that they should pay less is the dumbest thing ever. all the airlines base their employee contracts on industry. So American needs to base their on southwest – as soon as this one is done United will base their contract on the cost of the American and southwest contracts. The cost to operate will be the same and we can get on with everyone somewhat happy. American management is just a bunch of idiots that should be making money hands over fist like the rest of the industry. They are just badly run.
@1KBrad – selective strikes (what the term CHAOS) will have limited impact. If it is done out of any hub AA will simply have replacements ready. Either FAs that refuse to strike or management employees (they can replace workers on a flight you know and it isn’t that hard to have a pool of qualified FAs standing by). BTW, this isn’t the Teamsters – don’t expect the pilots or mechanics to “honor” the FAs picket line and refuse to work.
The ignorance from most of the commenters is astounding. Flight attendants go through six weeks of rigorous and intense training, learning the ins and outs of every aircraft in the fleet and how to save your life in case of an emergency. It is far from unskilled labor.
Add to that how the airline is absolutely crippled these days due to inclement weather, mostly due to displaced crew, and we can only imagine what would happen if 27,000 flight attendants strike and decide not to turn up for work. That would mean not just most flights in one or two hubs grounded but the entire network grounded indefinitely until their demands are met. Isom and his cronies would have no one to blame but themselves. They’ve had 5+ years to address them but have been too greedy to treat labor decently.
I hope the flight attendants get the raises and retro pay they deserve sooner rather than later. And I hope, for all of your ignorant sakes, that you don’t have to experience the effects of a strike for it to happen.
@AC why do you always say stuff while proving you have no idea what you are talking about… They can choose to strike on any flight, it does not have to be a hub. In fact they can also just keep striking from the one airport so that all the replacements are used. They can also just keep striking a hub so that all the replacements go illegal.
Also the AA training facilities do not have the capacity to train 27,000 FAs in a year let alone 30 days.
I also find it overall interesting what this channel seems to think is the reality for these FAs “Oh they won’t be able to afford to strike for very long” – most American FAs I know have multiple jobs, usually the second job is quite flexible because of their flying schedules, they’ll just work more at their other jobs to pay for it.
From the article: “The airline already has challenges affording what they’re offering in negotiations.”
Gee, maybe they should have thought about paying a just wage to their employees before handing out shareholder buybacks and a $3.4M bonus to the CEO.
Six weeks of vigorous training? Cut me a break. Most of us spent four years or more in college or years as an apprentice to learn our trade.
Six weeks of training just shows how unskilled they are.