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United Airlines flight attendants plan symbolic strike authorization vote amid contract talks

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United Airlines flight attendants plan symbolic strike authorization vote amid contract talks
Research
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Gary Leff Chief Financial Officer | View from the Wing

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.

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The decision to hold a strike authorization vote is viewed as a tactical move in ongoing negotiations. It symbolizes that flight attendants are prepared for extended bargaining efforts. "Many flight attendants will vote for a strike knowing that it is a positioning tactic for negotiations," stated an anonymous source within the union.

Despite an anticipated 99% approval rate for authorizing a strike, many voting members do not genuinely support striking but aim to maintain negotiation leverage. Following the vote, several procedural steps must occur before any potential strike action can take place: declaration of an impasse by the National Mediation Board (NMB), followed by a 30-day cooling-off period, and subsequent approval of 'self-help' measures. Additionally, Presidential intervention could prevent a strike.

The NMB has shown reluctance to declare an impasse during election periods, particularly under Democratic-majority leadership seeking future appointments and avoiding complications for Presidents.

Historically, major airline strikes in the U.S. have been rare over the past two decades with only two significant occurrences: Northwest mechanics in 2005 and Spirit Airlines pilots in 2010. While threats of strikes are common negotiation tactics, they rarely culminate in actual strikes.

Organizations Included in this History
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