The Association of Professional Flight Attendants say they have reached a tentative agreement with American Airlines, reducing the pressure of a potential strike approved by workers.
After months of asking the National Mediation Board to strike, American Airlines flight attendants may not walk the picket line after all.
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants announced they have reached a tentative agreement with the Fort Worth-based airline, which could end a negotiation period spanning years.
Agreement Still Need Reviews and Notes, Details Not Yet Announced
The stalling negotiations between the APFA and American Airlines has escalated significantly in the past year. After the flight attendants’ union voted to approve a strike, they were denied a request to walk off the job in November 2023. By June 2024, several legislators put their support behind the workers, pressuring the National Mediation Board to allow every option necessary to further the negotiations.
In a statement, the AFPA says their next step will be to review the agreement with the board of directors and executive committee on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. From there, a voting timeline will be announced for workers to either approve or deny the agreement. The union says they will not release any details about the agreement until the board and executive committee have reviewed it.
The White House was quick to praise the agreement, thanking the Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for their assistance in working with both sides to come up with the tentative agreement. In a statement, President Joe Biden noted the deal, which ends five years of negotiations, “Averts a strike that would have been devastating for the industry and consumers.”
Share your thoughts on American and the APFA reaching the agreement on the FlyerTalk forums.
