CWA-IBT Association Reaches Agreement with American Airlines

The Communications Workers of America (CWA)-International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Association has reached a tentative agreement with American Airlines on a new five-year contract covering approximately 16,000 passenger service agents. Initial costing shows a five-year contract valued at $1.3 billion. The tentative agreement guarantees industry-leading wage increases and job security for members, many of whom have not received pay raises in four years despite working for one of the largest U.S. airlines.

"Passenger service and reservation agents are on the frontlines of our airline industry, assisting passengers and keeping air travel on schedule and safe,” said Marge Krueger, Director of Airline Passenger Service at CWA. “Since day one, our members at American Airlines have been prepared to fight for a strong contract, with many of them organizing informational picket lines at airports throughout the country to raise their concerns over low pay, job security, and safety. The protections and standards proposed in this agreement are an embodiment of their determination and solidarity."

“This tentative agreement is the culmination of more than a year of organizing and fighting hard for one another at the bargaining table, where we demonstrated day after day to the company that we refuse to give up our members’ career stability or settle for a compensation package that falls behind our peers in the industry,” said Kim Barboro, Teamsters Airline Division National Coordinator for Customer Service and Flight Attendants. “This carrier has reported at least $12 billion in revenue for every fiscal quarter this year. Because of the hard work of rank-and-file union members, we’re making sure that American Airlines is using that windfall to do right by the people who make the company successful to begin with.”

Details of the agreement will be distributed to CWA-IBT members and a contract ratification vote will be scheduled at a later date.

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About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields, including more than 20,000 passenger service agents who work for American Airlines and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Envoy Air and Piedmont Airlines.

About the Teamsters: Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org to learn more. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.