United Airlines flight attendants based in Guam have, unsurprisingly, joined their counterparts nationwide in demanding negotiations continue as the union and the airline have not agreed on a new contract.
Day of Action
The United Airlines Master Executive Council (MEC) of the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA) declared March 19 as a ‘Day of Action,’ with the motto of “No Concessions, Contract now!”
In a statement on March 13, the United Airlines MEC of the AFA-CWA said that the carrier’s flight attendants have consistently carried out their promises to the airline, ensuring the safety and well-being of its passengers.
“Our role as Aviation’s First Responders is vital, and we are fighting for that recognition in these negotiations. We have earned essential economic and quality-of-life improvements; it’s past time the company delivers on that.”
According to Rsei Isim, the president of Council 65, representing the airline’s island-based cabin crew members, who spoke to Guam-based Pacific Daily News, United Airlines has around 250 flight attendants based at Guam Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport (GUM).
Preparing a CHAOS strike
A negotiation update from the carrier’s MEC of the AFA in December 2024 invited flight attendants to register for the Gearing Up to Strike (GUTS) list, enrolling themselves to be the first to be called in the event of a Create Havoc Around Our System (CHAOS) strike.
“We need these volunteers so that we can effectively target strikes and ensure maximum impact on the company. These volunteers will be the leaders of this effort, either striking the first targeted flights or acting as leaders when more and more flights are struck.”
According to the union, CHAOS will continue to spread until the company agrees to a contract that the flight attendants can accept, with the MEC noting that it would be ready for a half-hour, day, or week-long strike if necessary.
“We will only conduct a legal CHAOS strike, and while we are not at that point yet, we need to be fully prepared.”
Open for amendments
According to United Airlines’ full-year Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing, out of the 14 unions representing various employee groups across the airline, including United Express, its regional subsidiary, the AFA-CWA is the only labor collective with whom an agreement was open for amendments before 2024.
In December 2024, 25 US Senate Democrats directly addressed Scott Kirby, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of United Airlines, in a letter expressing support for the 28,000 flight attendants represented by the AFA-CWA.
“Since the flight attendants’ collective bargaining agreement became amendable in 2021, we understand there has been little progress at the bargaining table. We encourage you to negotiate urgently to reach an agreement that recognizes these workers’ vital contributions to United Airlines.”
The senators noted that while the airline’s cabin crew members have worked without a raise since 2021, the company has yielded billions in profits, and Kirby himself experienced a 90% increase in compensation during the same period.
United Airlines ended 2024 with a net profit of $3.1 billion, carrying 173.6 million passengers during the year, resulting in yearly revenue of $57 billion.
