Flight attendants for American and Southwest Airlines are planning to join a nationwide protest seeking new contracts. Three labor unions are staging a "Day of Action" at 30 airports in the United States and United Kingdom.
In North Texas, members of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which represents employees at American Airlines, will picket outside Terminal C at DFW Airport. Members of the Transport Workers Union, which represents employees at Southwest, are planning to picket at the main entrance to Love Field. Both demonstrations start at 11 a.m.
"Flight Attendants across the industry are fighting to raise the standards for our career," TWU posted online. "More than two-thirds of the U.S. Flight Attendants are in contract negotiations right now, including red-hot contract fights at Southwest, Alaska, Air Wisconsin, United, Omni, American, Frontier, PSA, Mesa and more. Now is the time to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in solidarity."
In December, TWU rejected a contract proposal from Southwest. After the vote, the airline said, "We are disappointed the industry-leading agreement reached between the negotiating committees was not ratified."
Instead, members of flight attendants' unions say most have not had an increase in pay in at least five years while pilots have approved new deals. Pilots at American approved a new contract last August, and pilots at Southwest approved a contract in January.
The unions say they represent more than 100,000 flight attendants. They say two thirds of flight attendants are currently in contract negotiations.
In Texas, demonstrations are also planned outside Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
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