Over 160 U.S. Lawmakers Call on Mediation Board to Aid Flight Attendants in Contract Negotiations

A bipartisan group of 168 U.S. lawmakers, led by Democratic Representative Melanie Stansbury, has made a significant appeal to the National Mediation Board, urging it to actively assist around 80,000 flight attendants in securing new labor contracts. The lawmakers highlighted the ongoing struggles of flight attendants from major airlines such as United Airlines, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Frontier, who have faced prolonged negotiations without reaching satisfactory agreements.

In a robust call to action, the legislators emphasized the importance of using all available tools to facilitate a resolution to these prolonged discussions, which have been dragging on for years. The call for intervention reflects a broader concern about the imbalance in bargaining power between the airlines and their flight staff, particularly as these workers have seen delayed improvements in their working conditions while airline executives reportedly receive substantial compensation enhancements.

Sara Nelson, the international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents over 50,000 workers across 20 airlines, voiced a strong position on the matter. She highlighted the necessity of a “credible strike threat” as a leverage in negotiations, pointing out the disparity in how negotiations have been handled in the past.

Adding to the complexity of the situation is the legal backdrop, as flight attendants, under current federal laws governing the airline industry, cannot strike without explicit permission from the board—a permission that has been rarely granted since 2006.

The lawmakers’ push for the board to allow more strikes reflects a broader advocacy for the rights of airline workers to engage effectively in collective bargaining. This move is aimed not only at addressing immediate contractual disputes but also at correcting a longer-term imbalance within the airline industry that affects thousands of workers.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, reuters.com