11.18.22 – Twenty-Nine Years Later: Remembering the Strike of ’93

Friday, November 18, 2022

Twenty-Nine Years Later: Remembering the Strike of ’93

Twenty-nine years ago today, Flight Attendants led one of the most successful airline industry strikes when they walked off the job in solidarity for a fair Contract just days before the busy Thanksgiving travel holiday.

The strike lasted five days and showcased the solidarity of the 21,000 Flight Attendants who stood up against corporate greed.

In 1993, an article published in the New York Times illustrated the sentiment of the striking Flight Attendants:“This was the hardest decision of my life,” said a flight attendant who has worked at American for 23 years but declined to give her name. “It’s a terrible thing to have to do, but there are huge earnings at the top of the company. We feel like it’s very out of balance. It needs to be shared with the employees.”

Labor contracts in the airline industry are complex, and sorting out the competing claims from the union and American over their contract dispute is difficult. The union said its members — whose median salary is $23,000 a year — have suffered a 40 percent decline in real wages since making heavy concessions in 1983, while American said their real wages have risen by 32 percent.

The airline is also seeking more control over scheduling and the numbers of attendants working each flight.”

Unionized Flight Attendants honoring the American Airlines strike of 1993 and the TWA strike of 1986 remind us that the Labor Movement must always continue the fight for wage, benefit, and work rule improvements. Solidarity events, which kicked off with this week’s systemwide informational picketing, solidify our strength and perseverance to improve the work/life balance of Flight Attendants at American and throughout the industry. To that end, we continue to lend our unwavering support to those working tirelessly to have a voice at Delta through Union organization.

To all of the brave Flight Attendant strikers in 1993 and throughout history, we thank you for your dedication and sacrifices to preserve and protect the Flight Attendant profession.