Flight attendants at American Airlines regional carrier Piedmont threaten strike as talks stall
American Airlines’ regional airline Piedmont’s flight attendants union is calling on members to authorize a strike after three years of trying to negotiate a new contract for higher wages.
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents Piedmont workers, sent out strike permits to its 300 members this week, the first step in a lengthy process that could lead them to quit their jobs. According to the union, flight attendants are paid far less in Piedmont than other American Airlines regional airlines.
“Life right now is not sustainable,” said Keturah Johnson, president of AFA Piedmont. “We have flight attendants who use a pantry to get the food they need and we have people who sleep in their cars.”
Maryland-based Piedmont is an important part of American Airlines’ flight network on the east coast and flies its Embraer 145 jets between major hubs and 50 smaller airports. The regional airline is wholly owned by American.
Johnson said first year flight attendants have a base salary of less than $ 17,000 per year and 10th year flight attendants earn less than $ 28,000.
“They’d make a lot more at Target or Costco,” she said.
Wages for flight attendants in Piedmont are lower than American’s other two wholly-owned regional airlines, PSA and Envoy, Johnson said. PSA and Envoy are also represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA.
The strike clearance is just a first step that the union hopes will accelerate negotiations with American Airlines and Piedmont. Airline employees are prohibited from striking without the approval of the federal labor authorities.
In order to actually strike, the union would have to convince the National Mediation Board that the talks are at an impasse. Then the board would give the two sides 30 days to speak before an actual strike could take place.
“If we show management that we mean business, it puts pressure on management that we’re not ready to work in these conditions,” said Johnson.
The union says it has a strategy to quit “without notifying management or passengers” if it gets federal approval for a strike.
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