United Airlines Flight Attendants to Vote on Strike Authorization in August

United Airlines Flight Attendants Move Towards Strike Authorization

CHICAGO (July 16, 2024) – United Airlines Flight Attendants, under the representation of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), are preparing for a strike authorization vote amid protracted contract negotiations. This marks the first strike authorization vote since the airline's bankruptcy discussions in 2005. The AFA highlights a disparity between the significant compensation boosts for United’s management and the financial struggles faced by Flight Attendants.

“United Flight Attendants can’t afford to wait for improvements. We deserve an industry-leading contract, and we are ready to show United management that we will do whatever it takes,” said Ken Diaz, president of the United chapter of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, representing 28,000 United Airlines Flight Attendants. “There is no time to waste. Our negotiations are at a critical state, the issues are clear, and the time to act is now.”

Flight Attendants at United Airlines have been operating under an amendable contract for nearly three years and sought federal mediation about eight months ago. With negotiations at a pivotal point and perceived delays from management in agreeing to a leading industry contract, the Flight Attendants are showing a united front in their quest for equitable terms.

Ballots for the strike vote will be distributed to all 28,000 Flight Attendants, with voting commencing on August 1, 2024, and concluding on August 28, 2024, coinciding with the start of Labor Day travel.

Recent authorization votes have accelerated negotiations at other airlines, including Alaska, Southwest, and American Airlines.

The AFA has a specialized strike strategy called CHAOS™ (Create Havoc Around Our System™), which allows for unpredictable strikes affecting either the entire network or individual flights. The union retains the discretion to decide on the timing, location, and manner of striking without prior notice to management or passengers. The right to strike is activated when the National Mediation Board (NMB) declares a deadlock in negotiations, initiating a 30-day "cooling off" period leading to a strike deadline.

United Flight Attendants are advocating for substantial double-digit base pay increases, additional pay for time spent at work including on the ground, retroactive pay from the amendable contract date, enhanced schedule flexibility and work rule improvements, job security, and better retirement benefits.

###

The Association of Flight Attendants is the Flight Attendant union. Focused 100 percent on Flight Attendant issues, AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight Attendant profession for over 78 years. Serving as the voice for Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media, and on Capitol Hill, AFA has transformed the Flight Attendant profession by raising wages, benefits, and working conditions. 55,000 Flight Attendants come together to form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afacwa.org.

---
Read More USA Works News