Main US airways have recovered from Covid-19 pandemic losses and may boast of a wholesome backside line with booming earnings. However because the busy vacation season approaches, three airways are going through looming strike threats.
Flight attendants for 3 main airways, American Airways, Alaska Airways and United Airways, are threatening strikes over low pay and unpaid go away.
Flight attendants are solely paid from door closure till the door opens on flights. Kiara O’Bryant, a Seattle-based flight attendant at Alaska Airways, instructed The Guardian,
“All of that point we spend with passengers on the bottom or sitting and ready for different aircrafts in between flights goes unpaid.”
“There are cases the place flight attendants are sitting anyplace from two to 4 hours, what turns into a mechanical rolling delay, the place that full time will not be accounted for and paid for. So, it’s not simply the boarding, but it surely’s anytime that we’re required to be on obligation at work in uniform, that we’re advocating for pay.”
This summer season, the 26,000 flight attendants at American Airways voted 99.47% in favor of authorizing a strike towards the airline. Union representatives have been negotiating with the airline since 2019 whereas staff have been with no pay elevate or price of dwelling elevate in over 4 years.
Pickets on the airline’s main bases have been ongoing as negotiations proceed.
Pickets by United Airways flight attendants had been held at 19 airports throughout the nation on August 31 demanding a brand new contract for the greater than 25,000 staff to deal with understaffing and operational points.
American Airways reported document quarterly income within the second quarter of 2023 at $14.1bn, United Airways reported document income in the identical quarter at $14.2bn and a threefold improve in revenue, and Alaska Airways additionally reported document income within the second quarter of 2023 at $2.8bn.
A strike, nevertheless, has issues. The Railway Labor Act prevents a strike, regardless of what staff need, till the National Mediation Board releases the union and airline right into a 30-day cooling-off interval.
