American Airlines flight attendants to hold strike authorization vote

The union representing American Airlines flight attendants will hold a strike authorization vote, following years without a raise and lengthy negotiations with the airline.

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants’ board of directors approved the vote Monday. Voting will open on July 28 and close on Aug. 29, with results announced the following day.

“Flight Attendants are ready for an agreement that respects our contributions to the success of this carrier,” Julie Hedrick, National President of APFA, said in a news release. “Our contract became amendable in 2019, and American’s Flight Attendants have not received cost-of-living increases or any other quality-of-life improvements, even as they played an essential part in keeping American in the skies both during and after the pandemic.”

Negotiations between the union – which represents more than 26,000 American Airlines flight attendants – paused due to the pandemic, but resumed in 2021. The airline and the union applied for federal mediation in contract negotiations in March.

APFA’s vote comes after members of the Allied Pilots Association, which represents American Airlines pilots, voted to authorize a strike in April.

Why would American Airlines flight attendants strike?

Flight attendants have not received a raise since January 2019, APFA said, and the union is asking for significant pay hikes.

The union has proposed an immediate 35% increase in wages, followed by a 6% annual increase in subsequent years. APFA is also calling for 82 guaranteed paid hours per month for reserve flight attendants – up from 75 – a higher 401(k) contribution and match and more.

Hedrick said in a video message Tuesday that American Airlines management had not responded to its economic proposal submitted in March.

"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," American said in an emailed 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."

Will American Airlines flight attendants strike?

Just because a strike is authorized, doesn’t mean it’s imminent.

“Nearly every time a strike authorization comes to a vote, it passes,” Scott Keyes, founder of Going, formerly known as Scott's Cheap Flights, said in an email. “That's not because a strike is likely, but rather because it's a negotiating tactic that strengthens the union's hand.”

The Railway Labor Act requires management and unions to go through a “lengthy set of steps,” including mediation and cooling off periods before a strike can happen, according to Keyes, and in a number of recent cases, pilot unions have reached contract agreements with management in the months after passing strike authorization votes.

“There's plenty for travelers to worry about – from flight disruptions to expensive fares – but a work stoppage from airline unions ought to be near the bottom of that list,” Keyes said.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: AA flight attendants will hold strike authorization vote