Airline unions aim to fly higher

The airline industry is among the most heavily unionized in the U.S. economy, and workers are seeking a bigger share of the airlines’ multibillion-dollar profits.

Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants, says too many employees — especially at the smaller regional airlines — struggle to get by. She says there could be wildcat strikes despite a federal law that makes it nearly impossible for airline unions to conduct legal walkouts.

Nelson talked recently to The Associated Press.

Labor is already the biggest cost at most airlines. Should they be spending even more? Labor investment has not rebounded to what it should be now that the airlines are making a substantial profit again.

What do union workers want in contract negotiations?

Airline employees took incredible cuts during the bankruptcies (from 2001 through 2013) — 30% to 40% cut in pay, loss of pensions, a shift of costs and burden for health care — and not all of that has been recovered. Our staffing has been cut to minimums so that we are working harder than ever when we are at work, and we are all working longer hours to make the same amount of pay. The airlines are profiting in the billions of dollars, and we expect our fair share.

Will we see an airline strike in the near future? The law requires National Mediation Board permission for union strikes or management lockouts. Airline management has come to believe that they can stall negotiations and actually put off increasing labor costs by doing so. The Railway Labor Act provides a fairly fulsome right to strike for employees. The issue is accessing that right to strike, and this administration has not shown any desire to give workers that right to strike. There is, though, a point at which it just becomes too much for people. And at a certain point, laws are not going to stop workers from standing up.

So, there could be wildcat strikes if workers feel desperate?

I should be very clear that that’s not what I’m advocating for in any way, but that is the growing sentiment. I think it’s something that needs to be taken very seriously by everyone who is in a leadership position in this industry.

Flights are crowded and airlines are jamming more seats on planes. Is the job of a flight attendant getting harder?

We have a real concern over how comfortable passengers are because it directly relates to their experience, their mood and how much time we need to spend with de-escalating conflict and resolving these concerns. And it is harder to do all of that because we have 25% to 50% less staffing on domestic flights and we are seeing cutbacks on staffing on international flights, too. So, yes, our jobs are harder than they have ever been because each one of us is doing more with more people on board in conditions that lead to greater conflict.