American Airlines flight attendants demonstrate outside the White House in Washington, May 9, 2024.
Drew Angerer | AFP | Getty Images
US airlines CEO Robert Isom offered flight attendants immediate 17% pay increases on Wednesday as contract talks continue without a deal, bringing the prospect of a strike closer.
The airline and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants have struggled to reach a new contract agreement, differing on key issues such as pay. Flight attendants haven't received a contract increase since before the pandemic.
“We have made progress in a number of important areas, but there is still much work to be done,” Isom told flight attendants in a video message.
The union said the two sides will meet with federal mediators next week for a “last effort” to reach a deal. were told to prepare for a strike.
Strikes are extremely rare among airline employees. The last one occurred in 2010 among Spirit Airlines pilots. If the two sides fail to reach an agreement, a release through federal mediators would be initiated, a process that would take several weeks.
“So to get you more money now, we have presented APFA with a proposal that provides immediate pay increases of 17% and a new formula that would increase your profit sharing,” Isom said Wednesday. “This means that we have offered higher pay to all flight attendants and we are not asking your union for anything in return. This is unusual, but these are unusual times.”
APFA's board will discuss the proposal later Wednesday, said Julie Hedrick, the union's national president. She added that the airline should focus on preparing a longer-term agreement with the flight attendants.
“This isn't that,” she said.
On Wednesday, the union also said it had opened a “strike command center” with dedicated phone lines and other resources to answer questions from cabin crew.
Pilots at American airlines largely signed new employment contracts last year, while flight attendants at American, United Airlines and Alaska Airlines are still negotiating.
Last month, a bipartisan group of more than 160 House representatives wrote a letter to the National Conciliation Council, urging it to help full offers with airlines and flight attendants.
