American Airlines and the union representing its flight attendants said Friday they have reached agreement on a new contract that includes pay raises, and President Joe Biden said the deal avoids a strike that would have hurt the U.S. economy and consumers. Terms of the proposal were not disclosed. The agreement, covering 28,000 workers, faces a union ratification vote.
Quick Read
- American Airlines and Flight Attendants Reach Contract Agreement
- Details: American Airlines and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants have agreed on a new contract including pay raises. The contract covers 28,000 flight attendants and awaits union ratification.
- Previous Offers: The union previously rejected an offer with an 18% immediate pay increase followed by annual 2% raises, seeking 33% upfront and four annual 6% increases instead.
- Union Reaction: Julie Hedrick, Union President, noted that the deal will significantly boost compensation and improve work conditions.
- Federal Mediation: The National Mediation Board rejected the union’s request to begin a strike countdown, encouraging further negotiations that led to this agreement.
- President Biden’s Statement
- Support: President Biden praised the agreement, highlighting its role in avoiding a potentially damaging strike. He credited his administration’s efforts, including those of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, for facilitating the deal.
- Labor Advocacy: Biden emphasized his commitment to strong labor agreements, referencing his historic support for unions, including joining a picket line during last year’s United Auto Workers strike. He reaffirmed his stance that strong unions contribute to a strong nation.
The Associated Press has the story:
American Airlines has a contract deal with flight attendants, President Biden is happy about it
Newslooks- FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) —
American Airlines and the union representing its flight attendants said Friday they have reached agreement on a new contract that includes pay raises, and President Joe Biden said the deal avoids a strike that would have hurt the U.S. economy and consumers. Terms of the proposal were not disclosed. The agreement, covering 28,000 workers, faces a union ratification vote.
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants previously rejected an American offer that would have increased pay immediately by 18% followed by annual 2% raises. The union was seeking 33% upfront, followed by four annual increases of 6% each. Flight attendants haven’t received raises since 2019.
Union President Julie Hedrick said the deal “will put billions of additional dollars into compensation and work rules for our flight attendant workgroup. American, which is based in Fort Worth, Texas, said the deal “will provide immediate financial and quality-of-life improvements for American’s flight attendants. It’s a contract we’re proud of and one our flight attendants have earned.”
Flight attendants voted last year to authorize a strike, and union leadership had raised the threat of a walkout this fall. However, federal law covering the airline industry makes a strike nearly impossible unless federal mediators determine that more negotiations would be pointless. The union asked the National Mediation Board for permission to begin a 30-day countdown to a strike, but the panel rejected the request, determining that the two sides could still reach an agreement.
Biden said that officials in his administration, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, had worked “to help both sides secure this agreement, which averts a strike that would have been devastating for the industry and consumers.” Biden became the first president to join a union picket line while in office during last year’s strike by United Auto Workers, and made an appeal for labor’s support heading into the November election. “I’m proud of the record wages and record contracts secured by workers during my Administration,” he said in the statement issued by the White House. “When unions are strong, our nation is strong.”
