Contract Negotiations Drag On

On 03 March 2023, for purpose of advancing contract negotiations with American Airlines management and reaching an agreement acknowledging Flight Attendants' contributions to the air-carrier’s success, American Airlines Flight Attendants represented by the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) filed for federal mediation with the National Mediation Board.

Association of Professional Flight Attendants national president Julie Hedrick stated: "We are entering a critical period in our bargaining for a new contract. We have bargained over all the non-economic sections of the agreement and will soon pass our economic proposals across the table. Although we have substantive disagreements on many important issues, we have had productive discussions at the bargaining table. We are prepared to work with the National Mediation Board to bring these negotiations to a close and secure a contract with much-needed improvements for 25,000 American Airlines Flight Attendants.”

APFA and American Airlines will continue bargaining for a Flight Attendant contract while a federal mediator is assigned and scheduled.

The call for federal mediation follows a series of informational pickets undertaken by American Airlines Flight Attendants on 24 January 2023. The pickets were staged at major U.S. airports to include: Boston/ Logan (BOS), Charlotte/ Douglas (CLT), Washington National (DCA), Dallas/ Ft. Worth (DFW), John F. Kennedy (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami International (MIA), Chicago O-Hare (ORD), Philadelphia International (PHL), Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX), and San Francisco International (SFO).

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) represents more than 24,000 American Airline’s flight attendants. Since its 1977 inception the organization has advocated for the flight attendant profession, positioning itself in the vanguard of the fight for workplace equality, legislative affairs, and worker’s rights.

FMI: www.apfa.org