Major U.S. Airline Reaches Deal With Thousands Of Flight Attendants After Strike Threats

NEWARK, NJ — A major U.S. airline has reportedly reached a deal with tens of thousands of unionized flight attendants, who have been threatening to strike if their demands aren’t met.

United Airlines and the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) announced that they reached an agreement that would cover 28,000 workers on Friday, just before the start of a busy Memorial Day weekend.

Contract negotiations have been dragging on for years, with workers and their supporters holding repeated rallies and picket lines at airports across the nation, including Newark Airport in New Jersey, where United maintains a hub.

• See Related: Flight Attendants Rally In Newark To Demand More Pay, Benefits
• See Related: Flight Attendants Picket At Newark Airport: ‘Ready To Strike’

Flight attendants have been asking for a pay increase, “schedule flexibility,” more job security and better retirement benefits.

The specific details of the tentative agreement weren’t released last week, but the union reported several stipulations, noting that flight attendants will gain “40 percent of total economic improvements” in the first year alone:

• “Industry-leading compensation”
• “Hotel, scheduling, reserve and other improvements”
• “Industry-leading retro pay”

United Airlines said the tentative deal includes “industry-leading pay wages,” adding that flight attendants would receive a signing bonus and “many other scheduling and quality of life improvements.”

The new contract would become amendable in five years, the company said.

More details about the deal are expected to be released if the agreement is ratified.

“Our flight attendants are the best in the industry and have earned an industry-leading contract,” United CEO Scott Kirby said.

“I often say they are the face of our operation and the role they play every day – to keep people safe and deliver great service – helps make United the biggest and best airline in aviation history,” Kirby added.

The airline and union both credited the National Mediation Board with helping to usher in the tentative agreement.

The deal isn’t quite across the finish line yet. The locally elected union leaders of the 28,000 flight attendants are expected to meet on Thursday and Friday to review the full details before voting to send the agreement to their members for potential ratification.

• See Related: United Airlines Sees Blowback Over $1.5 Billion Stock Buyback Plan

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