The Trouble Brewing Among AA’s Flight Attendants

The changes proposed by AA to the carrier’s bidding system, says that APFA, would have a detrimental impact on crew members’ lives. Once bids are made, staff are informed within 48 hours of their success, but the changes proposed by AA management would see this waiting time extended to 120 hours.

Tension has escalated between American Airlines and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) over proposed changes to the airline’s preferential bidding system, Paddle Your Own Kanoo reports. Nena Martin, the interim president of the APFA, which represents 26,000 AA cabin crew, has informed union members that the carrier has formally filed a grievance against the union.

At present, AA’s preferential bidding system lets cabin crew both bid for and swap trips as well as days off. Staff members are able to make new bids every month and, under the current system, are informed if their proposed swaps have been successfully accepted after 48 hours.

However, the changes proposed by AA’s management would see that 48-hour waiting period extend to 120 hours, a move that the APFA says would “cause significant hardship and erosion of quality of work life for flight attendants”.

In an attempt to halt proposed changes, the APFA formally filed a grievance against AA, saying that the proposed changes violate the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement. It is adamant that any amendments to the bidding system could be enacted only if agreed by union members.

However, American disagrees with the APFA’s assessment of the situation and has, as Martin informed members this week, filed a grievance of its own against the labor organization. It says that the 48-hour limit was never formally agreed.

But Martin has told APFA members that AA’s actions indicate a “blatant disregard of the plain language” of the agreement made between the two parties.

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