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American Airlines Flight Attendants Closer To A Strike

By Bill Zeeble, KERA News

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-891134.mp3

Dallas, TX – American Airlines fight attendants want to move closer to a strike, but the carrier says it's too soon for such a move. KERA's Bill Zeeble has more.

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants, the APFA, has been in contract talks with American for 2 years now. Union president Laura Glading says when the parties get close to agreeing on issues, the carrier changes its mind.

Glading: As close as we get, & the closer we get and more reasonable the proposals are looking, the further the company moves away. It's a moving target. I don't' think they want to reach an agreement, I really don't.

Glading says flight attendants gave up 2 billion dollars in concessions in 2003 and they want a contract that pays them what they made before concessions. She says by stalling on a new contract, American saves a million dollars a day. Union attorney Rob Clayman says American's current proposal would still pay attendants less than they earned 7 years ago.

Clayman: It's unfathomable why one would think that kind of proposal could be ratified by flight attendants or any work group that was not brain dead.

So the APFA wants the National Mediation Board to release it from negotiations and declare an impasse. That would give the union a 30 day cooling off period before members could vote to strike. Glading says she does not want a strike.

The carrier says it's too soon to declare an impasse and progress is still being made between the parties. It also says it's not stalling negotiations, and says it's in the carrier's interest to reach a contract agreement as soon as possible.

Email Bill Zeeble