CHICAGO – Over 90% of United Airlines flight attendants represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA voted this week to authorize a strike if management fails to agree to signifigant improvements, according to a news release.
The Wednesday vote was 99.99% yes, as the flight attendants seek a signifigant double-digit pay increase, pay for time at work on the ground, retroactive pay to the amendable date, schedule flexibility, work rule improvements, job security, retirement and more, the release states.
Ken Diaz, AFA-CWA United chapter president, mentioned upcoming Labor Day travel as an incentive for flight attendants’ demands to be met.
“We deserve an industry-leading contract. Our strike vote shows we’re ready to do whatever it takes to reach the contract we deserve. We are the face of United Airlines and planes don’t take off without us. As Labor Day travel begins, United management is reminded what’s at stake if we don’t get this done,” Ken Diaz, AFA-CWA United chapter president, said in a statement. “The United management team gives themselves massive compensation increases while Flight Attendants struggle to pay basic bills. The 99.99% yes vote is a clear reminder that we are unified in the fight against corporate greed and ready to fight for our fair share of the profits we create.”
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With the strike authorized, AFA-CWA says it’s poised to establish a 30-day “cooling off” period, as well as a strike deadline, by involving the National Mediation Board. The release states United flight attendants filed for federal mediation more than eight months ago and have been working under an amendable contract for about three years now.
Wednesday’s vote to authorize a strike marks the first time since 2005 that United flight attendants have done so, the release states, claiming recent such votes at American, Alaska, Southwest, and other airlines have seen positive results.
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