United Airlines flight crews have voted overwhelmingly to strike, marking the first time in nearly 20 years that the airline's cabin crew have approved such action.
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), the union representing the airline's employees, announced Wednesday that United flight attendants voted 99.99 percent to authorize strike action, with 90.21 percent of eligible union members participating.
The almost unanimous vote threatens a strike if United management does not meet their demands.
Eight months production time
The dispute, which has been going on for over eight months, revolves around several contract issues raised by United flight attendants. Demands include a double-digit increase in base pay, pay for time on the ground, retroactive pay, more flexibility in work schedules, improvements to employment rules, job security, retirement benefits and more.
⚠️ Now the Local Council 9 DEN/PHX Association of Flight Attendants picket line is taking place ahead of the announcement of the strike vote results. So far @united says there is no impact on travel operations. pic.twitter.com/dqHbPTAKq8
—Carly Moore | CMoore News® (@CMoore_News) 28 August 2024
“We deserve an industry-leading contract,” said Ken Diaz, president of the United affiliate of the AFA. “Our strike vote shows we are willing to do whatever it takes to get the contract we deserve. We are the face of United Airlines, and planes don't take off without us. As travel begins on Labor Day, United management will be reminded of what is at stake if we don't get this done.”
Diaz continued, “United's management team is giving themselves massive raises while flight attendants are struggling to pay their basic bills. The 99.99 percent yes vote is clear evidence that we are united in the fight against corporate greed and ready to fight for our fair share of the profits we generate.”
What can we expect?
This historic vote marks the first strike authorization by United flight attendants since the airline entered bankruptcy negotiations in 2005. While this significant step increases the risk of a strike, it is still unlikely to happen, so passengers who have upcoming United flights booked need not worry just yet.
Votes to authorize a strike have become commonplace in collective bargaining negotiations with airline workers, and the recent call for a strike by United flight attendants is more of a regulatory procedure than an endorsement of anything concrete.
Photo: Courtesy of Denver International Airport.
For the strike to take place, the union must apply to the National Mediation Board (NMB) for clearance to negotiate. After that, a mandatory 30-day cooling-off period begins. If no agreement is reached within that period and the Biden administration does not block the strike, a strike may be authorized. But even then, the flight attendants would not strike immediately to give affected passengers time to prepare.
“To be clear, this is not a work stoppage or work disruption,” United Airlines said in a statement to ABC News. “The off-duty flight attendants are simply exercising their right to conduct an information strike.”
The strike authorization for United flight attendants is the latest in a series of similar votes by workers at other U.S. airlines, including American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Southwest Airlines, to pressure their employers into collective bargaining.
