American Airlines flight attendants begin vote to authorize union to call a strike

Should the vote pass, it does not mean a strike is imminent or that a strike will happen, only that the members approve of the union calling a strike should negotiations stall

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American Airlines flight attendants are set to vote July 28 – August 29 on whether or not they want to go on strike. It’s one of several steps as the Fort Worth-based airline continues contract negotiations with the flight attendants’ union.

American Airlines flight attendants are set to begin voting Friday on whether or not they want to allow the union to call a strike.

The world's largest airline, based in Fort Worth, is still in talks with the flight attendants union after more than four years with no pay raise.

The Association for Professional Flight Attendants, which is headquartered in Euless, represents over 26,000 flight attendants. Members will begin voting July 28 through Aug. 29, with results announced on Aug. 30. The union will then plan for more pickets at the airline’s hubs across the country.

Should the vote pass, it does not mean a strike is imminent or that a strike will happen, only that the members approve of the union calling a strike should negotiations stall.

Travelers should know that it would take many more legal steps to actually conduct a strike because of the layers put in place by the Railway Labor Act. The law was enacted in 1926 and later expanded to include airlines in 1936. It is run by the National Mediation Board and is used to avoid interruptions to interstate commerce.

Experts stress that travelers do not need to worry about this affecting travel plans in the coming months.

Even for pickets – which have frequently occurred in the past two years from both pilots and flight attendants at various airlines – union rules only allow workers who are scheduled off to take part in any picketing activity.

In March, the APFA -- which has been in negotiations since December 2019 -- turned to the government for help in getting a new contract. The union filed for federal mediation in hopes of speeding up that process and we know there have been two sessions so far with mediators present at the negotiating table.

Some of the issues flight attendants want to see addressed include cost of living increases, scheduling improvements and a return to pre-pandemic staffing levels among other demands.

"It's time for American Airlines management to show flight attendants the respect they are due through appropriate pay and improved working conditions. We are ready for American Airlines to bring these negotiations to a close," Julie Hendrick, National President of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, said in a statement.

According to the union, American Airlines flight attendants have not received a raise since January 2019.

The law makes it difficult for a union to go on strike but it is still possible. If American Airlines and the flight attendants union cannot reach an agreement while in federal mediation, the union could then request to be released into a 30-day cooling-off period after which flight attendants would be free to strike.

A strike could be avoided if a deal is reached between American Airlines and the American Airlines flight attendant union. The Fort Worth-based airline told NBC 5 last week they look forward to a speedy resolution and that discussions are ongoing.

"We look forward to reaching an agreement with APFA quickly so that American’s flight attendants can benefit from a contract that provides them with real and meaningful value," the airline said in a statement. "We continue to meet regularly and appreciate the National Mediation Board’s recent support as both American and APFA work to reach an agreement our flight attendants deserve."

The flight attendants could follow in the footsteps of American Airlines pilots, who reached an agreement with the airline in May after demanding higher pay and raising the possibility of a strike.

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