Summary
- American Airlines reached a brand new contract with customer support agents after multiple 12 months of negotiations.
- Base pay, job security, and healthcare advantages were key concerns for customer support agents during contract negotiations.
After bargaining for over a 12 months, American Airlines has reached a brand new contract with its customer support agents.
Recent deal for airport agents
American Airlines’ customer support agents are represented by CWA-IBT Passenger Service Worker Association, which had been negotiating the newest contract with the airline for over one 12 months until an agreement was reached today. In a news update in July 2022, the union shared the bargaining survey必利勁
results, by which employees expressed their priorities for the brand new contract, which had been finalized.
In accordance with the outcomes, the primary concern was base pay, with nearly 60% of agents expressing their concern with their compensation. Job security/limits on contracting and health care advantages, plans, and coverage were also significant points of consideration. The union began to organize for its negotiations with the airline, which commenced at the top of last summer. And since then, as with almost every union negotiation process, the 2 parties had been going backwards and forwards.
Photo: American Airlines
Though the union and the airline have now agreed upon a deal, greater than 15,000 agents still must vote to ratify. Details of the contract have yet to be released but might be available soon. The bargaining committee said,
“We couldn’t have reached this agreement without the support of our local union leaders, mobilization team members, and each member who supported the organizing and mobilization efforts over the past several months. Your participation in mobilization activities made an enormous difference on the bargaining table and demonstrated the facility of our unity.”
Recent American Airlines news
Just a few months ago, a United States District Court judge ruled that American Airlines and JetBlue needed to finish their partnership, the Northeast Alliance. JetBlue is in the midst of a trial over a pending merger with Spirit Airlines, so it didn’t appeal the court’s decision. Then again, American is appealing the choice to finish the alliance.
Photo: Lukas Souza | Easy Flying
The alliance was formed in 2020 to permit the 2 airlines to make the most of one another’s networks and offer higher access to passengers within the Northeast. American and JetBlue capitalized on the partnership for nearly three years, operating routes primarily from Boston and Recent York, before being told to finish the alliance. Now, though American knows there isn’t a probability to resume the partnership with JetBlue, it’s appealing the ten-year ban placed on the 2 airlines on forming future partnerships.
American said,
“If left unchecked, the district court’s decision will discourage fruitful and lawful collaboration that advantages consumers through increased output, decreased prices, and improved product quality.”
Lawyers for American Airlines are arguing that joint ventures often should not prohibited on antitrust grounds because they promote competition and state the alliance was wrongfully terminated. They added that if the choice stands, it can discourage future collaboration.