(News Nation) — The vast majority of United Airlines flight attendants Authorize the strike if contract negotiations between the union and the airline fail;
More than 99 percent of the members of the Association of Flight Attendants (CWA) who voted supported the certification. Picketing after the vote on Wednesday to air their demands.
“We deserve an industry-leading contract, and our strike vote shows we are prepared to do whatever it takes to reach the contract we deserve,” AFA United chapter president Ken Dias said in a statement. “We are the face of United Airlines and without us, planes wouldn't fly. As Labor Day travel gets underway, United's leadership is reminded of what's at stake if they don't get this done.”
But this does not mean that flight attendants will walk off the job immediately: the union will have to ask the National Conciliation Board for the dismissals and there will be a 30-day “cooling off period” before a strike begins.
“To be clear, there is no strike or labor disruption taking place,” United said in a statement, “Our off-duty flight attendants are simply exercising their right to conduct informational picketing.”
According to a news release, AFA has a trademark strategy called CHAOS (Create Havoc Around Our System), according to which a strike can affect the entire airline or a single flight. Additionally, the union decides when, where and how to strike without notifying management or passengers.
United Airlines flight attendants are seeking double-digit base pay increases, full pay for all hours worked, including ground shifts, retroactive pay and work schedules, and flexibility in severance packages, the people said.
