Pilots for Miami’s biggest airline, American, vote for strike authorization
Following four years of negotiations and protests at Miami International Airport, American Airlines pilots voted on Monday to authorize a strike for the first time in more than 25 years at the biggest carrier at Miami International Airport.
American Airlines pilots were shown on social media doing informational picketing at MIA, where the carrier ha more than 14,000 locally based employees and more than 2,500 pilots.
An American Airlines spokesperson said the company is committed to quickly reaching an agreement with its pilots.
The strike authorization is the first in more than 25 years. In February 1997, 9,300 American Airlines pilots went on strike. President Bill Clinton responded with an emergency suspension of the strike and creating a board to oversee a resolution.
Of American Airlines 13,000 pilots, 12,480 voted and almost all of them agreed to strike if it became necessary.
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Allied Pilots Association Communications Director Gregg Overman emphasized that the decision for strike authorization was about more than seeking increased pilot salaries. American Airlines pilots have unpredictable work schedules and travel times that extend their work trips from three to four days, often placing them in cities they were unprepared to be in, leading to a lower quality of life, he said.
“It isn’t just about the money,” Overman said. “The money or pay raise for professional pilots at major carriers has been more or less established by other airlines and their pilot groups. All airlines are in intense competition to hire the next generation of pilots. That’s not the primary focus. It’s other behind the scenes aspects that make a big difference.”
An American Airlines spokesperson said the company was working on reaching an agreement with its pilots.
“We remain confident that an agreement for our pilots is within reach and can be finalized quickly,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “The finish line is in sight. We understand that a strike authorization vote is one of the important ways pilots express their desire to get a deal done and we respect the message of voting results.”
In order for a strike to happen, Overman said that a National Mediation Board would have to declare an impasse between the APA and American Airlines in mediation. Currently, the two sides are not in federal mediation
“It’s a symbol that all is not well,” he said of the strike authorization vote. “It’s not really normal to be walking around all 10 of our big airports saying we’re ready to strike.”
This story was originally published May 1, 2023 at 5:23 PM.
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