10.23.14 – (LAA/LUS) APFA Press Release ” AA Flight Attendants Set to Capitalize on Carrier’s Profits”

“We knew that if American had a chance to merge with US Airways we’d be able to compete. And now flight attendants, with an industry leading T/A, are first in line to reap all of those benefits,” said APFA National President Laura Glading.

APFA members are currently voting on a Tentative Agreement (“T/A”) which would become the contract for the combined flight attendant work group at the new American and the richest in the industry. The agreement contains $193 million in annual improvements, including a $50 million credit for profit sharing.

“There’s more money in this T/A than any of our competitors’ contracts in the industry – including those with even the most generous profit sharing arrangements. This T/A is worth $50 million more annually than Delta’s compensation. That’s over $2,000 per Flight Attendant every year over the life of the Agreement,” said Glading.

As part of its agreement to force the merger, APFA agreed to an expedited negotiations process with a backstop of binding arbitration. The goal was to avoid the pitfalls that beset other airline mergers.

“We fought hard to get the merger done and we’re the most important marketing asset this company has. We told management the way to labor peace was through an industry-leading contract and that’s what the T/A delivers,” said Glading.