Editorial photo credit: JHVEPhoto – stock.adobe.com
DENVER – Flight Attendants at Frontier Airlines, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), voted 99.6% to authorize a strike with 92.7% participating. The results come as management refuses to negotiate over the impact of the carrier’s business model change. Frontier management has a legal obligation to bargain over that impact, separate and distinct from their obligation to engage in regular contract negotiations, yet they continue to refuse to bargain or even engage in mediation through the National Mediation Board.
“Frontier Flight Attendants are struggling to earn a living because of management’s new ‘out-and-back’ model. The impact of this change has turned our lives and our paychecks upside down,” said Jennifer Sala, AFA Frontier President. “The harm is real and happening right now. We’re ready to do whatever it takes to bring management to the table.”
Just last week Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle boasted that their operational changes have resulted in “real” cost savings, adding that the airline is “saving a significant amount.” Those savings are partially being paid for by Flight Attendants, and the impact of that must be addressed by management and corrected immediately.
“Frontier management is putting their ‘cost savings’ plan on Flight Attendants’ backs. It’s a gross example of corporate greed that devalues the contributions of these Flight Attendants to the airline and creates incredible instability for the people who make Frontier fly,” said Sara Nelson, AFA International President. “Frontier must negotiate to reflect the impact of their completely new business model.”
The 99.6% authorization by the members empowers the union to set a strike deadline, if necessary. 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. There is no strike date set at this time.
Strike vote ballots were sent to the 4,000 Flight Attendants, with the vote opening on August 20, 2024 and closing on September 18, 2024.
The Flight Attendant Union filed for federal mediation with the National Mediation Board (NMB) in May after issuing a formal notice to management on April 3, 2024, that its “turn” plan constitutes a dispute under the Railway Labor Act, separate from regular contract negotiations. This impact of the new business model has a significant negative effect on the working lives of the over 4,000 Flight Attendants in a way not contemplated under the negotiated collective bargaining agreement.
