Frontier Airlines flight attendants voted to authorize a strike over a change in business model that they say has resulted in less pay. The Association of Flight Attendants announced this on Wednesday.
The sentiment was boosted by the Denver-based airline’s move to a business model that includes more one-day trips and fewer multi-day trips for flight attendants, union leaders said in a news release.
“Frontier flight attendants are struggling to make a living due to management’s new ‘out-and-back’ model. The impact of this change has turned our lives and our salaries upside down,” AFA Frontier President Jennifer Sala said in a statement.
Union leaders say the new business model should be subject to separate contract negotiations and have sought federal mediation with the National Mediation Board, a claim Frontier Airlines officials dispute.
The company and the union are not in supervised mediation and negotiations are “nowhere near a point where a strike could legally occur,” Frontier Airlines spokesperson Jennifer F. de la Cruz said in a statement.
If they were in mediation, the federal government would have to determine there was an impasse and take additional steps, including a “cooling off period” before a strike, Frontier officials said.
“In the meantime, Frontier has been meeting monthly in direct negotiations with the AFA since last December and remains committed to negotiating in good faith to reach an agreement that supports our flight attendants and ensures the continued success of our company,” said the la Cruz. .
No strike date has been set and union leaders said on Wednesday they would implement a ‘CHAOS’ strategy, under which they could strike at any time without notice.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
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