American Airlines and its flight attendant union announced Friday that they had reached a tentative contract agreement after extensive mediation.
The agreement between the airline and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) must first be reviewed by the union board of directors and executive committee, with plans to do so on Wednesday, the union said in a statement.
“After years of bargaining and with the assistance of the National Mediation Board, we have reached a long overdue agreement with American Airlines, which addresses our concerns in compensation, work rules, and retroactive pay. If approved, this agreement will put billions of additional dollars into compensation and work rules for our flight attendant workgroup,” APFA National President Julie Hedrick said in a statement.
Weeks of contract talks in June ended with no agreement between the company and union, when union negotiators told members to prepare for a strike. The airline and union then held weeks of talks under the supervision of the National Mediation Board and with involvement from Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.
“It’s a contract that will provide immediate financial and quality-of-life improvements for American’s flight attendants,” the airline said in a statement. “It’s a contract we’re proud of and one our flight attendants have earned.”
The proposed contract addresses compensation, contractual improvements, and preserving work rules, the union negotiating committee said.
Details of the contract will not be shared until it is reviewed by leadership. The negotiating committee asked members to wear their red pins until the contract is approved. The union’s 28,000 members will vote on the agreement
