Tag Archives for union.
Airlines are fighting state sick leave laws that apply to flight crews, arguing they can disrupt staffing, delay flights, and interfere with federally regulated airline service. A Michigan case is moving forward, courts are split around the country, and the fight over whether states can layer labor rules onto airline contracts may eventually land at the Supreme Court.
Southwest is restoring cabin jumpseat access for mechanics and other employees after a union challenge, reversing a flight-attendant-only policy with new annual training required, in a conflict between two unions over who gets access to a scarce resource that matters to their quality of life and benefits.
American Airlines flight attendants are suing for overtime pay under Illinois law, arguing that time at the airport should count as work even though their union contract pays under a very different system. It is part of a growing wave of lawsuits trying to use state wage laws to punch through airline labor contracts.
AFA-CWA wants the government to force airlines to add flight attendants on widebody jets in the name of evacuation safety. But the FAA’s own data says evacuations are already safe, and risks involve passenger bags, communication, blocked exits, smoke, fire, and training — not too few flight attendants.
An American Airlines flight attendant is objecting to her union’s left-wing political messaging, including May Day posts aimed at Trump and Elon Musk. Unions are obviously – and necessarily – political. That makes it tough for airline workers who have to pay dues to platform ideas they oppose.
United flight attendants have finally ratified a new contract after 5.5 years without a raise, with 82% voting yes. The deal brings major wage increases, a $740 million lump-sum payout, boarding pay, and top hourly rates scheduled to exceed $100 — but Delta may still set the real compensation benchmark if profits keep flowing.
A flight attendant has her job back, and nearly $1 million, after Southwest Airlines and her union worked together to fire her over her union and religious politics.
The new system American Airlines is using to connect pilots with flights at the last minute, and make sure flights are staffed, is fueling a revolt of its more senior cockpit crew. It means junior pilots get access to more high paying flights. With senior pilots furious that their union let this in the contract, it could tip the scales in efforts already underway by half the pilots to overthrow their union.
American Airlines finally has pilot trading cards, but the airline did not create them — the pilot union did, filling a small but telling gap that even Spirit and Frontier had already managed to cover, underscoring how American spent years missing the little customer-facing details.
United mechanics say their own union let United turn a contract wage-reset formula into a black box, leaving employees short of raises that were supposed to keep them ahead of peers at American and Delta. A judge just threw out most of the case, but the ruling still leaves mechanics one narrow path to challenge the pay process through a grievance on their own.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
