American Airlines flight attendants have voted for the union to organize a strike.
On Wednesday, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants announced that the majority of its members voted in favor of a strike. The decision comes after years of mounting frustrations from fight attendants who are unhappy with a slew of conditions that American has seemingly ignored. One major issue felt among the entire aviation industry is the lack of pay increases. American flight attendants have not seen a salary boost since 2019.
Still, with 99% of members voting in favor of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants launching action against the airline, it is unlikely to happen. A full walkout is extremely difficult among flight attendants. Per the Railway Labor Act, in order for a strike to take place, the group would have to get permission from federal mediators and would then have to wait for 30 days before they could actually conduct the walkout. Even if granted approval, Congress and the current U.S. president have the authority to reverse the decision.
American Airlines released a statement suggesting that they were inching closer to an agreement with the union. However, also on Wednesday, the APFA members nationwide picketed the company’s failure to reach a deal that will give employees more protections and better compensation.
“Our flight attendants are tired of waiting, tired of the delays, and tired of the stall tactics from American Airlines. It’s time that they begin to share their record profits with the flight attendants,” APFA President Julie Hedrick stated.
