Flight Attendants Enjoy a Win

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) brought out a new 5-year contract for American Airlines employees, getting an 87% approval vote from eligible flight attendants.

It's good news for the American Airlines crew, who've had to sit under the tenuous umbrella of a contract dispute for months, watching pickets and reading newsletters that made it seem as if it would take forever to arrive. After 95% voter turnout, American FAs signed on the dotted line and added $4.2 billion in new value to their previous employment contract. The new deal includes out-year wage boosts, revised scheduling, better rescheduling, and reserve work rules among smaller quality-of-life issues. The new contract goes into effect on October 1st, 2024.
 
“This contract marks a significant milestone for our Flight Attendants, providing immediate wage increases of up to 20.5%, along with significant retroactive pay to address time spent negotiating,” said APFA National President Julie Hedrick. 

“Among the many improvements, the contract includes a new sit rig for compensation for long sits between flights, and American Airlines Flight Attendants become the first unionized workgroup to lock in pay for boarding.”

The APFA took a moment to thank a handful of beltway stakeholders for their assistance in bringing the contract to fruition, naming the "tremendous support from other Unions, Leaders in Washington, D.C., also stepped up to help us in our fight. Special thanks to National Mediation Board (NMB) member Linda Puchala, Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg" for all they did to "move this deal across the finish line."

FMI: www.apfa.org