2.10.24 – Negotiations Update #49 / Strike Preparation / Day of Action

Saturday, February 10, 2024

Negotiations Update #49
Preparing to Strike
Worldwide Day of Action: February 13, 2024

This week in negotiations, we further narrowed the issues, focusing on Deadheading and certain issues in Scheduling. We agreed on some Deadheading provisions that will allow Flight Attendants to self-book alternative deadhead travel either back to base/ co-terminal early or to their commuter city. Rather than having to wait until after the last live leg of the sequence, Flight Attendants will be able to self-book after report for the sequence when there may be more seats available. This improves schedule flexibility and control because Flight Attendants will no longer have to rely on a gate agent or Crew Tracking to make these changes for them.

We secured an important improvement for our commuters from Hawaii and Alaska, who will now be able to utilize the alternate deadhead provisions along with those from the 48 contiguous states and Puerto Rico.

We discussed the Electronic Communication System (ECS) currently in development which will make some crew scheduling interactions faster and easier.

While this week focused on narrowing issues, our overall focus is our upcoming meeting with the National Mediation Board in March in which we will argue our case for a release. We are in the final stage of negotiations. APFA President Julie Hedrick has submitted our second request to the National Mediation Board to be released. You may read President Hedrick’s letter to the National Mediation Board here.

The National Mediation Board has set a status conference, at the request of APFA, to directly hear from APFA on why we believe that we should be released into a thirty-day cooling-off period. The three members of the National Mediation Board will hear from APFA on the morning of March 13, 2024. The company will present to the NMB Board later that afternoon. At this meeting, APFA will update the Board on the status of our negotiations and will have an opportunity to present our position that our negotiations are at an impasse and we should be released.

Preparing to Strike

All APFA Flight Attendants should be preparing for a possible strike at American Airlines. A strike booklet with more information will be mailed to your home in the coming weeks.

Some strike preparations might include:

• Log into the APFA website and create a password (www.apfa.org). Store the password in a safe place.
• Ensure your address, phone number and email address are correct with APFA.
• Set aside money where possible and take a look at personal finances.
• Apply for “union-friendly” credit cards that have provisions concerning payments in the event of a strike.
• Reconsider “big ticket” items such as a new car or home.
• Follow APFA on Instagram (@apfaunity), X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook.

Any strike action would not happen until we are released by the National Mediation Board and following a thirty-day cooling off period. As a reminder, until such time that we are released to engage in self-help, Flight Attendants should not be engaging or promoting any unauthorized actions such as sickouts, slowdowns, or concerted efforts to not pick up open time. As we have previously said, such efforts could result in action against individual Flight Attendants and/or the union. Click here to review the hotline on illegal self-help tactics.

Picketing: February 13, 2024

On February 13, we continue our effort to win an industry-leading contract. We will be picketing at all American Airlines bases and joining in pickets at other locations nationwide. This is our chance to send a clear message to American Airlines management: Flight Attendants are fed up and will settle for nothing less than an industry-leading contract.

We will join our Flight Attendant counterparts at other carriers in solidarity across the industry to elevate the standards of the Flight Attendant profession. Together, 100,000+ Flight Attendants are keeping their fight against corporate greed at the forefront of all airline management, the media, and the public. We demand from our employers jobs that pay living wages for our time, with benefits any American would want for themselves and their families.

Join one of the 30+ picket lines across the country, in uniform if possible. Next Tuesday, American Airlines and other airline management will be sent a clear message: close out these contracts, or we will strike.

If you haven’t already, RSVP to your picket location here. An RSVP allows you to receive automatic email notifications on any instructions specific to your city, last minute changes in location, etc. It also allows picket planners to have an idea of how many will show up, and to ensure compliance with local permit restrictions.

The current industry standard economic framework does not address our economic needs, and 100,000+ Flight Attendants standing in solidarity will send a resounding message to all airline management, our elected officials, and the public. See you on the picket lines next Tuesday!

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Continue to wear your red WAR pin, red lanyard, and bag tags until we secure the contract we’ve earned.

In Solidarity,

Your APFA Negotiating Committee

Reese Cole
Kelly J. Hagan
Julie Hedrick
Timothy Legeros
Brian Morgan
Wendy Oswald
Susan Wroble
Joe Burns, Lead Negotiating Attorney

[email protected]