AFA-CWA Members Protest Limited Progress in US Airways-America West Contract Talks

Flight attendants at US Airways and America West Airlines, members of AFA-CWA, picketed outside US Airways? corporate headquarters in Tempe, Ariz., this week, expressing their frustration over the slow pace of contract negotiations.

Bargaining to merge the two flight attendant contracts began in January 2006, with little progress to date, and no discussion at all of economic issues, said Gary Richardson, president of the America West Master Executive Council. Delays are causing endless problems for both flight attendants and passengers, he added.

Mike Flores, president of the US Airways Master Executive Council, said "management must begin to treat flight attendants and our loyal customers as assets rather than liabilities," adding that management needs to keep its promises.