4.30.23 – A Message From Your APFA Leadership

Sunday, April 30, 2023

Last week, American management announced a return to first-quarter profitability, which includes record revenue totaling 12.2 billion. These earnings represent a staggering 37.7% increase in revenue generation year-over-year. The atmosphere at Skyview during the earnings presentation was celebratory– American’s Flight Attendants and other frontline employees ran a stellar operation, outperforming the industry in multiple metrics. All signs point to surging passenger demand and continuing profitability throughout 2023.

American’s Flight Attendants are not celebrating. While we all have a vested interest in seeing American return to sustained profitability, an announcement of a profit-sharing payout of 1.3% of individual eligible earnings for Flight Attendants was a tough pill to swallow, especially when compared to the robust “short-term incentive program” American has set up for each management level when they hit performance and operational targets. Not surprisingly, we have heard nothing about management’s “short-term incentive program,” especially when Flight Attendants are going on four years without increases to per diem, compensation, profit sharing, sick leave, and 401(k) contributions.

Let us be frank: improvements to our collective bargaining agreement won’t come easy. Having profit sharing written into the contract and not giving management control over how much you deserve will require us all to be engaged. Management needs to see 25,000+ Flight Attendants standing firmly behind your negotiators. While we anticipate progress in mediated talks starting next month, we need every Flight Attendant engaged and involved:

• Visit the negotiations webpage and ensure you are up-to-date by reading the negotiations hotlines. All twenty-three hotlines containing updates from the negotiating committee are on the website, as well as status updates and Union/Company proposals for each section.
• Participate in all upcoming days of ACTION if possible.
• Wear your Union pin and red lanyard on every flight, every day, and every trip.
• Place your luggage tags on your luggage before your next trip.
• Join the Contract ACTION team by clicking here to share updated information with your flying partners and help your fellow Flight Attendants plan and execute days of ACTION.

We are not negotiating a merger contract. We are not saddled with a backstop of binding arbitration. We have zero interest in concessions. Section 6 of the Railway Labor Act governs our current negotiations. We intend to utilize all resources available to reach a fair and equitable contract that reflects our contributions and sacrifices to American Airlines, and that includes full Member participation. We will continue to push forward at the negotiating table, and we need everyone engaged and informed.

This week’s profit-sharing amount compared with management’s incentive amount is not surprising, but only strengthens our resolve. We deserve more, and we are ready.

In Solidarity,