The Association of Professional Flight Attendants will enter what they’re calling “last ditch” negotiations with American Airlines with a federal mediator in Washington, D.C. next week. They’re asking for permission to enter a “30-day cooling off period” following which they’d be allowed to strike if no agreement is reached first.
The union has opened what they’re calling a “Strike Command Center.” It’s actually a Communications Conference Room, currently staffed during the business week with a phone number “to answer questions from Flight Attendants” and that’s “[p]roducing written materials, videos, and other resources to support Flight Attendants during a strike.”
APFA Strike Command Center
They’re spinning up a web page that’ll include a digital strike handbook, and crew will be sent a paper version to carry with them.
The union’s messaging to members is focusing on the gap between their position and the company’s over retro pay. They want compensation for raises foregone during the time since the last contract became amendable four and a half years ago – something flight attendants might traditionally not expect, but that Southwest flight attendants achieved in their recent deal.
To prepare for a strike, the union is telling flight attendants… you’re on your own and expect not to be able to pay credit card bills.
- Consider moving up doctor/ dentist appointments.
- Refill prescriptions early if possible.
- Apply for “Union-friendly” credit cards that have provisions concerning payments in the event of a strike.
- Reconsider “big ticket” items, such as a new car or home.
The underlying message to flight attendants is we do not have a strike fund. Cabin crew are on their own financially in the event of a strike. Junior flight attendants are already among the most financially vulnerable at the company. The union may ask them to do without any pay at all.
And the list of things they should do to prepare almost sounds as though it comes straight out of American Airlines board member Doug Steenland’s management days at Northwest.
Steenland’s Northwest obtained employee pay cuts in bankruptcy. They were also able to outsource ground handling at airports with fewer than 50 flights a week, meaning some employees faced layoffs. In an effort to make those employees feel better about their situation, the airline put out a guide to making do with less, offering “101 ways to save money.” The primary thing missing from the American Airlines flight attendants union version of the list? Dumpster diving.
And the union’s financial advice here is too little, too late. A union-friendly credit card? They don’t make a single suggestion. Capital One issues the Union Plus card makes cardmembers eligible for $500 when in the midst of a strike, but they need to have been cardmembers for 3 months first. Maybe a suggestion the union could have made when first asking to be released from negotiations?
The United Auto Workers were able to strike successfully because they had a war chest. Striking autoworkers were paid $100 per day by their union. American Airlines flight attendants will receive $0.
The union’s hope is that they can ask a limited number of flight attendants to strike specific flights that change daily, so that uncertainty causes customers to book away from the airline, while limiting the financial cost to crew. A well-prepared airline, though, would be able to replace a limited number of workers striking on a given day – while providing strong incentives for flight attendants to show up to work (from higher immediate pay to commitments to limit future flight benefits of those who do strike).
A strike still seems both unwise and the less likely outcome. The airline increased its pay offer, which will pay cabin crew at the top of the industry. The union reduced its demands. The President has a strong incentive to avoid a strike. And the National Mediation Board called for more negotiations next week, rather than declaring an impasse.
Hopefully the two sides come to terms, since they’re closer than ever, and flight attendants whose seen the value of their wages eroded by inflation already have an offer of an immediate 17% wage increase plus new boarding pay, increased retirement contributions and substantially greater profit sharing already on the table.
Lock them out! Lock them out! Lock them out! I am not hoping for a favorable outcome. I have a family event I would love to skip this month and a last minute lack of air transit sounds like a great excuse. AA needs to channel Willy Walsh when he was at Aer Lingus.
Lock out the strikers and hire motivated flight attendants with higher pay.
The above comments coming from individuals whom are unfamiliar with the Railway Labor Act.
Goofy union leadership is focused on nickel and dime items while they’ve agreed to erode many work rules (e.g. straight reserve for multiple years for new hires) during this entire process to effectively take things backwards.
Company would be smart to offer many financial incentives to FA’s break the proverbial picket lines and work. Because at the end of the day, if you’ve got bills to pay, you are going to do what you need to do. Work at AA or work elsewhere.
At the same time, I see the union’s point to their FA’s, they are on their own. Welcome to adulthood and the real world.
Maybe in the meantime, the union could offer some financial management 101 education on their little hotline for those living beyond their means.
Cruelty, with glee, right?
Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses? If they would rather die they had better do it and decrease the surplus population.
People just want to make money to live. Collective barganimg works.
The ability to edit a comment would be very nice, too!
“skip CC payments”
Sound financial advice as usual coming from unions. What do you expect, when supporting them requires one to be economically illiterate.
To those who comment thinking that the FAs are just complaining like they Always have..ask yourself this.
With the price of everything going sky high, and while the slightest inconvenience to a person can set them into a blinding rage…why are Flight attendants being paid so little for the job they do? Why does the CEO make so much money and his labor force that is very unhappy not working out?
The APFA has come to the table time after time and their proposal is pretty even from an economic stand point. AA Corp has stalled and stalled and mismanaged funds ( mainly purchasing new aircraft from Alaska air and opening/ refurbishing gates) those funds could have gone to the working group and would still have had enough to have new planes and gates..seriously..Ask the attendants about their lives..it’s like most People don’t even see them as human beings!
Am I the only one that thinks the t-shirts in the above picture look like they bear the Delta logo?
I’m in the camp that says the FAs deserve a higher salary and they deserve to be paid for boarding and deplaning time. However, I believe the union is not serving their members well by prolonging negotiations and delaying implementation of the better pay and compensation package.
These delays hurt FAs who need help the most. Does the union even care? I doubt it? Get the deal done ASAP!
Blame the FA pay on their union. They are the ones that agreed to it. BTW, I would expect many FAs to cross a picket line or refuse to strike given the economic situation. Also, AA can definitely have standby resources in hubs and also take steps to penalize any FAs that strike.
I’m not arguing FAs are due for an increase but the problem is they picked a very bad time. AA simply doesn’t have the money and can’t agree to what their union has set as a baseline deal. If AA does agree to it expect bankruptcy filing within 12 months and ones of the first things that will be asked (and almost certainly approved) is to cut FA and pilot pay plus implement work rules to get more productivity.
AA CEO needs to take a sizeable pay cut and pay the flight attendants a livable wage. FA’s shouldn’t have to play this game. It’s not that hard.
1. I don’t understand the purpose of a union when its financial advice to its members is to skip cc payments.
2. Most passengers prefer to stare at their screens and not interact with flight attendants, except for tiktok clicks. And just maybe in a crash emergency.
3. Should I book with AA or should I avoid AA in my next transatlantic flight? So many competitive airlines, is it worth it to book with an airline operated by disgruntled attendants and uncaring execs?
Supply and Demand at work. People are still lining up to become flight attendants with far more applicants than openings. This talent is far more fungible than pilots or mechanics. So the airlines will pay as little as possible to keep labor costs in check. I didn’t say it was right, but that’s economics. The cat and mouse game will continue until a resolution which will probably come sonner rather than later.
Skip credit card payments only if you want to replace a temporary situation with a much longer lasting one.
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What a silly comment
Once again unions showing up to wreck a company
First of all, missing card payments may cause them to lose transferable points.
Second, there won’t be a general strike, it will be rolling mini strikes.
Third, will there be galleys set up near the picket line where FA’s can step out to surf their phones for a couple of hours?
In case anyone’s curious, here’s the webpage with the handbook
https://www.apfa.org/strike/
Skip cc payments and watch your credit score plummet!
Seems like good advice.
Let them strike then let AA pick them off one by one with pink slips.
You don’t want to work here? Good. Now you don’t.
Why does the management not ask for something in return?
Better service to customers? No sitting in the galley instead on taking care of passengers? Proper PDB in first? Hang jackets and coats of passengers in first? FA’s at other airlines do this, but AA does not.
Ability to fire FA’s that perform in the bottom 5% of metrics?
I agree these are first world problems but if the AA FA’s want to be paid as much as other FA’s, maybe emulate their service first and then demand something.
Do passengers want a vegas show in the aisle? They can’t look up from their phone to give a drink order? Choosing pretzel or cookie can cause there minds to draw a blank and stare like it’s choosing which child to save in sophie’s choice! take another mode of transport! Bring your own snacks, food, and pee before you get on board! You could all be served surf n turf and still complain
not sure what is more offensive in most of the comments above
the ignorance or the arrogance.
Surely the last “contract” was not the fault of the Union; as it was handed down by a Bankruptcy Judge!
then there are the years and years of delay tactics which are employed by the management team in order to pay for the increase in wages which is so well deserved ;all while they collect MILLIONS in personal bonuses(CEO just took 31 Million)
then there is the “flying public” who physically and verbally abuse these hard working FA’s over the most asinine of things you could imagine that can come from Humanity!!!
The next time you go to work and have people SPIT, HIT, masturbate, and curse at you then tell me how much you deserve to get paid!
They deserve WAAY more than they are asking for!
@Michael T – “surely the last “contract” was not the fault of the Union; as it was handed down by a Bankruptcy Judge!”
That’s inaccurate.
American exited bankruptcy in December 2013, this is the 2015 contract.
When US Airways took over American they did so with labor support. They had a deal sketching out a contract, defaulting to an arbitrated deal if the membership didn’t approve a contract.. they voted it down, were given a less lucrative contract, and American unilaterally increased their pay anyway.
I think your math skills need improved. The 17% offered does not even match the cost of living increases 2019 (1.6) 2020 (1.3) 2021 (5.9) 2022 (8.7) and 2023 (3.2); that is a cumulative total of 20.7%. That is not factoring in what the 2024 COLA estimate might be. To accept a 17% increase in the face of a 20.7% COLA would be A PAY CUT! You are spreading a false narrative that AA flight attendants have been offered industry leading pay – when Southwest and Delta both sit far above what USAAir has offered the APFA.
You also might want to have your articles at least proofread or run through a grammar program….
@Reddsledd – I have written about how flight attendants have fared relative to inflation, but this isn’t “the offer” since it’s not meant to get a contract done, it was an immediate pay increase – frankly a risky move for the airline, since with much of the raise already achieved American would need to offer MORE in order to get a contract and avoid a strike.
Huge mistake to walk away from this.
These unions should be investigated and made to account for all the money from the Union Dues. The AA FA’s union has no “war chest” in the event of a strike? Where did all the money go? They better take this last offer from AA. If they don’t, I predict it’s not gonna end up well for them. Yeah.. and the advice from the union… “you better get ready to miss some credit card payments”… is about as stupid as it gets. You guys need to get a better union, or better yet.. get rid of it.
Unions vs Corporations, both usually corrupt. It’s like the Dems vs Republicans. FA’s need to do whatever is best for each individual. Sometimes I think we need some kind of oversight for unions. I was a member of CWA and IBEW. Never very helpful for anyone.
Most of the comments on here definitely demonstrate the type of people that are traveling nowadays cocky opinionated and have no clue what they’re talking about. These crew members have had their pensions Frozen ,work rules completely manipulated , poor management to deal with, and then to top it off comments from ignorant travelers that have no clue what they’re even talking about. I won’t cross a picket line whether it’s a grocery store on strike or an airline. The only way to deal with these America West Management boneheads is to stay tough and hold their tiny balls to the wall. I wish the APFA union members the best of luck , and remind those newbies what it is like to be on union. SCAB LIST, that will remain until the end of their careers . You have a lot of support so let’s all hope for the best outcome.