As American Airlines nears the conclusion of contract negotiations with its flight attendants union in Phoenix, United Airlines flight attendants are preparing to escalate their own bargaining efforts.
American Airlines' new contract is expected to be finalized by next week, four and a half years after the previous agreement became amendable. Similarly, United's flight attendants have had an open contract for the same duration, excluding pandemic time. However, their union has remained largely silent, strategically allowing American’s negotiations to set a precedent.
The United Airlines flight attendants union will soon conduct a strike authorization vote. This vote allows the union to signal readiness for a strike but does not permit an actual strike. According to the union, United is delaying negotiations to save on increased wages during this period. The union plans to request retroactive pay similar to what Southwest and American Airlines achieved in their agreements.