Cabin crew threaten sudden disruption to US flights
US Airways cabin crew are threatening sudden strikes unless the airline management agrees new contracts for flights attendants.
The staff, backed by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) in the United States, yesterday held protests across the country over the airline’s failure to agree a single contract for more than 6,700 crew.
The AFA claims that flight attendants are still working under separate contracts, in separate operations, seven years after the merger of US Airways with America West, which created the fifth largest airline in the States.
It says US Airways proposed takeover of the bankrupt American Airlines should not go ahead until it has completed its merger with America West by agreeing a single contract for all flight attendants.
AFA said America West flight attendants haven’t seen their contracts improved since 1999 while US Airways’ crew continue to work under a contract they reached during the airline’s bankruptcy.
"Doug Parker (US Airways’ CEO) has his eyes on a new merger with American Airlines, but he needs to tend to the unfinished business of this merger first and work with current US Airways employees who have delivered record profits," said union representatives in a statement.
"For a new merger forming the largest airline in the world to be successful, it will take the support of all of the workers involved, including US Airways flight attendants."
The union says that US Airways flight attendants would utilise AFA’s trademarked CHAOS™ tactics in the event of a strike. CHAOS stands for Create Havoc Around Our System™, which includes intermittent strikes called without warning to management or the travelling public.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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