Traffic & Transit

Flight Attendants Picket At Newark Airport Ahead Of Busy Holiday

VIDEO: Dozens of unionized flight attendants employed with United Airlines showed up for a demonstration at Newark Airport.

Dozens of unionized flight attendants employed with United Airlines showed up for a demonstration at Newark Airport on Thursday.
Dozens of unionized flight attendants employed with United Airlines showed up for a demonstration at Newark Airport on Thursday. (Association of Flight Attendants)

NEWARK, NJ — Dozens of unionized flight attendants employed with United Airlines showed up for a demonstration at Newark Airport on Thursday.

It’s the latest labor action from the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which has held repeated picket lines at the busy New Jersey airport in the past year amid ongoing contract talks with United.

The flight attendants said they are seeking an “industry-leading contract” that gives them a “share of the hefty profits their work produces for United.”

Find out what's happening in Newarkfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

United Airlines recently announced its third-quarter 2023 financial results, which included a total operating revenue of $14.5 billion. That total is up 12.5 percent compared to the third-quarter of 2022.

According to an update from their union, the flight attendants have filed for federal mediation. United Airlines said in late October that there was “good progress” in the negotiations, with six sections of the contract settled.

Find out what's happening in Newarkfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Acting ahead of the busy holiday travel season, the flight attendants and their supporters – including a person dressed in a Santa Claus outfit – marched in unison and held up signs that read: “Contract Now!” and “Corporate Greed Doesn’t Fly.”

The latest rally at Newark Airport was part of a national day of action at airports around the country.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.