After five years of negotiations, and an additional two years of meditation, flight attendants for Mesa Airlines, Inc., an American regional airline with headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, voted earlier this week to go on strike. Similar to how a majority of other strikes are initiated in workplaces around the world, approximately 1,000 flight attendants for the airline cited insufficient wages as their primary grievance during the vote. It was overwhelmingly supported with a 99.56 percent approval rate.
According to AFA Mesa President Heather Stevenson, “Management has left us with no other choice. Mesa flight attendants are prepared to strike if released by the National Mediation Board. Next week management can choose a different outcome by seriously negotiating a contract. Mesa Airlines is an important partner in the highly-profitable American Airlines and United Airlines networks. Fair contract now.”
Flight attendants with United Airlines, a partner of Mesa’s, average about $27,000 annually. But, flight attendants have the option of working additional trips if they wish to increase their respective incomes. Mesa Airlines flight attendants can typically earn anywhere from $13,000 to $36,000 per year.
Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA also voiced her concerns recently by stating “Mesa flight attendants will not accept poverty wages. Enough is enough. Mesa flight attendants have the full backing of the 50,000 members of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. We are ready to do whatever it takes to achieve a fair contract.”
In addition to better wages, employees are also seeking finer benefits. Representatives from the two sides will continue negotiations on April 5, and if the National Mediation Board releases the flight attendants, the union and the company will enter a 30-day cool down period in which negotiations may continue. If no agreements are reached during this timeframe, the union would authorize flight attendants to only strike certain departures.
