Allegiant workers picket in Las Vegas
Talks have dragged, flight attendants say
Roughly 50 off-duty flight attendants with Allegiant Air picketed outside Mccarran International Airport on Wednesday to demand a labor contract after six years of negotiations with the company.
The flight attendants, represented by the Transport Workers Union of America Local 577, are among the lowest-paid with hourly wages capping at $34, compared with the industry average of more than $50 per hour, union representative Rey Chapparo said.
Also, Chapparo said that on-duty flight attendants are not paid when waiting for Allegiant planes that might be delayed because of scheduling or mechanical problems.
“We haven’t got a raise in 10 years,” said Chapparo, who has worked as an Allegiant flight attendant since 2005.
“The planes break down every single week, leading to long duty days upwards of 22 hours that we don’t get paid for,” he said. “We’re here to make sure we’re compensated correctly.”
The demonstration did not affect Allegiant’s operations, officials with the Las Vegas-based discount carrier said. Flight attendants on Wednesday also picketed near The Mirage, Planet Hollywood Resort, the Fremont Street Experience and in Arizona at the Phoenix-mesa Gateway Airport.
Union and company officials are at the bargaining table through Thursday with the National Mediation Board to reach their first labor pact. If a deal isn’t reached, the
ALLEGIANT
union could ask for a 30-day “cooling off period,” followed by a strike authorization vote by its members.
“Informational picketing is an entirely anticipated activity at this stage in a long negotiation process,” Allegiant spokeswoman Hilarie Grey said. “We remain committed, as always, to negotiate in good faith.”
Allegiant pilots, working with the
Teamsters union, ratified Allegiant’s first union contract about a year ago.
About 76 percent of the 1,100