Flight attendants picket at CLT Airport, others over contract disputes

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - American Airlines flight attendants picketed at Charlotte Douglas International Airport and other U.S. airports Tuesday over contract disputes.

It came as the country prepares for a busy holiday travel season.

Related: More than 54M expected to travel for Thanksgiving

The flight attendants say they’re overworked and suffering a poor quality of life because of the delay in contract negotiations.

Picketers at CLT Airport held signs with slogans such as, “It’s Our Time,” “We Are Ready For A Raise,” and “Profits Over People at American Airlines.”

According to the picketers, since the COVID-19 pandemic, airlines have bounced back, but they’re operating on a thin schedule that doesn’t provide flight attendants with enough rest or adequate pay to keep up with rising living costs.

The union that represents the flight attendants is in the process of negotiating the collective bargaining agreement.

They say continued staffing shortages mean passengers suffer when bad weather or other delays cause disruptions.

One of the major concerns is rest time between shifts. Flight attendant Charles Starks said they recently asked the company for a minimum of 10 hours of rest but were told they would only receive eight.

“That’s not acceptable,” Starks said. “You get to a hotel. If you have eight hours, you have to shower, you have to eat, you have to go to sleep. You then have to wake up and get ready. You may be getting five or six hours of sleep.”

In a statement, the airline said:

“American’s flight attendants are the best in the business, and like all our team members, deserve to be paid well and competitively. We continue to meet regularly with the Association of Professional Flight Attendants to reach an agreement that benefits both our flight attendants and operation, and we respect the right of our flight attendants to participate in informational picketing.”

The airline said Tuesday’s picketing won’t have any impact on its operations.

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