Flight attendants' union seeks strike authorisation from members

Airline Industry Information, Dec 3, 2004

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The USA's largest flight attendants' union, the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), has sent out 21,000 strike authorisation ballot forms to United Airlines flight attendants to gain approval to call a strike if the airline or US Airways cancels labour contracts.

The board of the AFA has already approved the measure if collective bargaining agreements are broken by either United Airlines or US Airways, both of which have threatened to go to court to get the contracts cancelled unless unions agree to further concessions. Unions are currently in negotiations over new concessions deals.

A spokesperson for the AFA said that from the beginning of United Airlines' bankruptcy flight attendants have been fully engaged with helping the airline recover and this vote will tell the airline exactly what terms and conditions they will or will not work under.

United Airlines called the action unhelpful and claimed that it would discourage customers from booking with the airline. A spokesperson said that the only way the matter would be solved is through productive negotiations, reports The Associated Press.

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