HOUSTON – Hundreds of United Airlines flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), announced that they would agree to a nationwide strike before Labor Day weekend.
The vote, in which over 90% participated, was 99.99% in favor of authorizing the strike.
According to a press release, the strike will be approved if management does not agree to significant improvements.
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“We deserve an industry-leading contract. Our strike vote shows that we are willing to do whatever it takes to get the contract we deserve,” said Ken Diaz, president of the United affiliate of the AFA. “We are the face of United Airlines, and without us, no planes take off. As travel begins on Labor Day, United management is reminded of what is at stake if we don’t get this right.”
This is the first time major airline flight attendants have voted to authorize a strike since bankruptcy negotiations in 2005. Recent strike authorization votes have spurred negotiations at American, Alaska, Southwest and other airlines.
Reasons for the strike
United Airlines flight attendants are demanding significant improvements, including a double-digit increase in base pay, compensation for time spent on the ground, backdated pay to the change date, more flexibility in schedules, better work rules, job security, retirement benefits and more.
READ: Flight attendants hold rallies at airports to protest against the lack of new contracts and salary increases
“United’s management team is giving themselves massive raises while flight attendants are struggling to pay basic bills,” Diaz said “The 99.99% yes vote is clear evidence that we are united in the fight against corporate greed and ready to fight for our fair share of the profits we generate.”
Next Steps
With the strike authorization, the union can now apply for a dismissal with the National Mediation Board (NMB), which would trigger a 30-day “cooling off period” and set a strike deadline. The AFA has a proprietary strike strategy called CHAOS™ (Create Havoc Around Our System) that allows for flexible and unpredictable strike action. This strategy means the union could target the entire system or a single flight, with the timing and nature of the strike kept secret from management and passengers.
United Airlines flight attendants have been working under a mutable contract for nearly three years and requested mediation from the federal government more than eight months ago. With Labor Day weekend approaching, the risk of disruption is high and negotiations are hanging in the balance.
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