Flight attendants at United Airlines are preparing for a potential strike. On Tuesday, they announced a vote to authorize a mass work stoppage as contract negotiations enter their fourth year.
Ken Diaz, president of the United Airlines chapter of the Association of Flight Attendants, representing 28,000 members, stated, “United Flight Attendants can’t afford to wait for improvements. We deserve an industry-leading contract and are ready to show United management that we will do whatever it takes. Our negotiations are at a critical state, the issues are clear, and the time to act is now.”
The previous contract expired in 2021, making United’s flight attendants the only unionized employee group without a contract, according to the carrier’s latest annual report. Similar to American Airlines, which also has unionized flight attendants working without a contract for years, United workers believe a potential strike could expedite a resolution.
Voting will be held from August 1 to August 28. Similar votes at American and Alaska Airlines previously saw near-unanimous approval from their memberships. While there are several procedural steps before an actual strike could occur, the threat of a walkout will remain during federally mediated bargaining sessions.
The flight attendants are seeking “double-digit” wage increases among other demands. United has not yet responded to requests for comment, but CFO Michael Leskinen indicated in an October earnings call that the company expects to concede some pay increase. “Looking ahead to 2024, we feel good about the core fundamentals of our expenses,” he said. “However, we are facing sizable headwinds with labor and the expectation of a new flight attendant agreement.”