Pilots at United, Southwest, and American Airlines strike demanding their management to match or beat the contract adopted by Delta earlier this year. Read to know more about the pilot strike.
All you need to know about the pilot strike in the US
On Friday, United Airlines pilots at major airports across the US demanded higher pay and improved work-life balance in their new contract. Pilots reveal they have been working without a rise in pay for over four years. The nationwide informational picket comes as American Airlines and Southwest Airlines pilots authorized a strike, demanding better working conditions. Pilots from United Airlines could be the next to start striking. They are looking for their respective managements to beat or match the deal reached between Delta Airlines and their pilots. The deal assures pay rise by 34 percent over the next four years.
“We expect our contractors to raise the bar from Delta’s contract. We’re not just looking for more money, we’re looking for several areas of improvement that we’ve been waiting a long time to achieve,” stated union chief Garth Thompson. Moreover, “we’re continuing to work with the Air Line Pilots Association on the industry-leading deal we have put on the table for our world-class pilots,” stated Joshua Freed, a spokesperson for the United.
More on the protests
The US Federal law makes it difficult for airline unions to strike. Hence, even if pilots from United join American and Southwest Airlines, it is unlikely for them to show up during the travel season. It is also very rare for the National Mediation Board to declare a dead end to bargaining. The unions reportedly have more leverage to push for wage hikes following the shortage from the pandemic. The United has about 14,000 pilots and the union is expecting about 2,000 to picket on Friday from 10 airports,
