American Airlines flight attendants gave their union leaders approval to trigger a strike if the labor group is eventually allowed to end contract negotiations under federal labor law, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants said Wednesday.
The so-called strike authorization was approved by more than 99% of flight attendants voting, the union told members as they picketed at Dallas-Fort Worth and other airports across the carrier's network.
"APFA members today sent a strong message to the Company -- we are unified and long overdue for a new contract. We are ready and willing to do what it takes," Julie Hedrick, national president of APFA, said in a statement. "It was Labor that built this great country, and now it's off the backs of labor that corporate greed makes its money."
While the vote doesn't mean flight attendants will strike immediately, it clears the way for a walkout if one is authorized by the National Mediation Board. A potential walkout could occur as early as November -- when holidays begin to pick up in the U.S. -- and only after a multiphase process outlined in the Railway Labor Act, which governs airline-union relations.
"We're proud of the progress we've made in negotiations with the APFA, and we look forward to reaching an agreement that provides our flight attendants with real and meaningful value," American said in a statement.
American Airline shares fell 13 cents, or less than 1%, to close Wednesday at $14.77. The stock has gained 16% year-to-date as passengers embraced travel once again after years of covid restrictions.
American's flight attendants are seeking a 35% increase in hourly rates upon signing of a new contract, and a 6% jump annually during the proposed three-year term, Hedrick earlier said in an interview. Guaranteed base pay for American Airlines' flight attendants -- negotiated in 2014 under their last contract -- is $27,300 a year before taxes with opportunities to earn more, she said.