Piedmont Negotiations News
3/3/2022
Piedmont Airlines Flight Attendants Ratify New Contract
Piedmont Air Flight Attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), today voted to ratify a new contract. The four year agreement provides substantial wage increases, a signing bonus, no cuts to their high-quality healthcare program, and meaningful work rule improvements, for 300 Piedmont Flight Attendants.
“This contract will make an immediate difference in our lives at Piedmont,” said AFA Piedmont President Keturah Johnson. “We work hard as aviation's first responders and deserve to be recognized within American Airlines Group. This contract provides real improvements overnight and throughout the length of the contract. As we work with Piedmont to get this contract fully implemented, we will also organize with Flight Attendants across our industry to negotiate for continued improvements that reflect the value we bring to our airlines.”
The contract follows a historic unanimous strike authorization vote by Piedmont Flight Attendants in October 2021. That changed dynamics at the bargaining table almost immediately. Under the Railway Labor Act, contracts become amendable and do not expire. The result was years of mediation overseen by the previous administration without movement from the company.
Piedmont Airlines is a wholly owned regional airline of American Airlines Group. Headquartered in Salisbury, MD, Piedmont has Flight Attendant bases in Philadelphia and Charlotte operating 400 daily flights to over 55 destinations.
Flight Attendant Union Reaches Tentative Agreement with Piedmont Airlines
AFA and Piedmont announce deal after Flight Attendants turn out 100% strike vote authorization
1/20/2022
Harrisburg, PA (January 20, 2022) — Piedmont Flight Attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, today announced a Tentative Agreement (TA) that includes substantial wage increases, no cuts to their high-quality healthcare program, and meaningful work rule improvements. The agreement was reached through mediation with the National Mediation Board (NMB).
“We organized to mobilize action. We spoke with one voice. We demanded contractual improvements that treated us with the dignity and respect we’ve earned. And we won,” said AFA Piedmont President Keturah Johnson. “We are deeply grateful for the solidarity and support of our AFA family, the labor movement and the flying public who raised their voices alongside our own.”
The TA follows a historic unanimous strike authorization vote by Piedmont Flight Attendants in October, after the company proposed a contract that would have resulted in concessions to overall take home pay. That changed dynamics at the bargaining table almost immediately. Under the Railway Labor Act, contracts become amendable and do not expire. The result was years of mediation overseen by the previous administration without movement from the company.
“Solidarity works,” said AFA International President Sara Nelson. “Credible strike threats work. The election of President Biden and the Senate confirmation of his nominees for a worker supportive NMB made a difference. Piedmont Flight Attendants spoke with one voice and acted as one. They built solidarity with our union family and asked the public for support. Working together, we secured a contract that will improve the lives of hundreds of families and make Piedmont better for workers and passengers. This is what we can achieve when we come together through our unions.”
Further details of the 4 year agreement will not be made public until they are released to the Piedmont Flight Attendants. The tentative agreement will go to a full membership vote.
Piedmont Airlines is a wholly owned regional airline of American Airlines Group. Headquartered in Salisbury, MD, Piedmont has Flight Attendant bases in Philadelphia and Charlotte operating 400 daily flights to over 55 destinations.
10/21/2021
Flight Attendants at American Eagle carrier Piedmont overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike, with 100% in support of authorizing the strike.
“Piedmont Flight Attendants are speaking with one voice to demand management get serious about resolving our contract,” said Keturah Johnson, AFA Piedmont President. “Flight Attendants kept Piedmont flying through the pandemic. How does management thank us? By offering a ‘deal’ that would mean cuts to our take-home pay. We are already paid less than our counterparts at other regional carriers, and far less than mainline flight attendants doing the same work at the American Airlines Group. Enough is enough. Piedmont Flight Attendants can’t afford to work at Piedmont.”
Piedmont Flight Attendants and allies took the contract fight public today, picketing outside of Philadelphia International Airport following the strike vote.
Flight Attendants represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA have been engaged in contract negotiations for more than three years. Negotiations stalled after management put forward an offer with minimal pay increases that are offset by higher health premiums. Taken together, Flight Attendants would earn less under the contract proposed by Piedmont.
“We’ve seen in the last few months how delicate the aviation system is, and how much it depends on every worker. The Flight Attendants at Piedmont are sending a message to management and to our entire industry,” said AFA International President Sara Nelson. “Workers across the country are on strike right now to end two-tier employment systems where workers earn less for the same jobs. Regional Flight Attendants earn as much as forty-five percent less for the same work, and Piedmont is at the bottom of the scale. Piedmont Flight Attendants want a fair deal, but if it takes a strike we’ve got their backs across the industry.”
Following the 100% strike vote with 75.4% participating, AFA could request that the National Mediation Board (NMB) declare that negotiations are deadlocked and release both parties into a 30-day "cooling off" period, which would then lead to a strike deadline. AFA has a trademarked strike strategy known as CHAOS™ or Create Havoc Around Our System™. With CHAOS, a strike could affect the entire system or a single flight. The union decides when, where and how to strike without notice to management or passengers. US-based carriers are still trying to recover to full staffing following the pandemic, and staff shortages have caused significant operational issues at Southwest, Spirit, American and Delta in recent months. Even the disruption of a few flights could threaten operations across the American Airlines Group system.
September 30, 2021 – Flight Attendants at Piedmont—a subsidiary of American Airlines—are taking a strike vote right now. They need our support. Management's latest proposal includes only tiny raises with significant healthcare cost increases meaning many Flight Attendants would take home less tomorrow than they do today.
Piedmont Flight Attendants kept the planes flying throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Piedmont and American Airlines Group are once again flying high. We won't allow them to leave Flight Attendants stranded.
Take Action below by calling on American Airlines Group Management to get back to the bargaining table and agree to a Fair Contract for Piedmont Flight Attendants.
American Eagle Carrier Piedmont Flight Attendants Will Vote on Strike
Washington, D.C. (September 15, 2021) — Piedmont Flight Attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), are gearing up for a strike vote after mounting frustrations in mediated negotiations. Strike vote ballots will be sent to the almost 300 Flight Attendants later this month, with a vote count scheduled for October 21, 2021.
Piedmont Flight Attendants have engaged in over three years of stalled contract negotiations and are underpaid compared to their counterparts in the industry. Management has proposed minimal pay increases that do not provide a living wage for Piedmont Flight Attendants. Combined with proposed increases in health care, in many cases Flight Attendants would earn less than they do today, while American doles out record bonuses to other workgroups.
“We kept the planes flying throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and saved Piedmont and the entire American Airlines Group through the Payroll Support Program which helped American with billions of dollars in labor costs. The thanks we get is management demanding concessions. This must stop,” said Keturah Johnson, AFA Piedmont President. “Piedmont Flight Attendants cannot afford to work at Piedmont. It's time management recognizes Flight Attendants and pays us a living-wage.”
This lack of progress could lead to the National Mediation Board (NMB) declaring that negotiations are deadlocked and releasing both parties into a 30-day "cooling off" period leading to a strike deadline. AFA has a trademarked strike strategy known as CHAOS™ or Create Havoc Around Our System™. With CHAOS, a strike could affect the entire system or a single flight. The union decides when, where and how to strike without notice to management or passengers.
Piedmont Flight Attendant pay has fallen in comparison with the rest of the industry while the cost of living and medical expenses continue to rise. Wages, protecting work rules, and achieving security in retirement are key in this contract fight.