Flight attendants at American Airlines say the company has rejected a proposal for a 6% pay raise and the tabling of other contract items for 18 months.
Attendants represented by the Association for Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) have been pushing for release from mediated negotiations, but the US National Mediation Board has not granted the request.
Negotiations between the two parties began in June 2008 after a concessionary deal was reached in 2003 to help American stave off a Chapter 11 filing.
In an union update APFA says the latest option it presented to management was a short-term cash only deal that included a 3% wage increase backdated to 1 January 2010 and a 3% increase at the date of signing. All other outstanding items would be set aside for the 18 month period. According to an official American Airlines labour relations website, 28 tentative contract items have been agreed to while 11 remain as outstanding.
American states the APFA proposal did not address critical productivity and benefits cost issues that are hindering the carrier's ability to compete, and notes its proposals offer a 10% pay raise and "include provisions that align health care and retirement costs more closely with the marketplace and raise the minimum hours a flight attendant is scheduled to fly per month".
APFA believes its proposal was "extremely reasonable and fair. A solution that would give flight attendants some much needed immediate financial relief and American labour relief".
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
