Fort Worth, TX – American Airlines has offered to pay its mechanics and ground crew workers 3% more than workers doing the same jobs at Delta Air Lines, but their union is skeptical. American sent its 30,000 ground workers a letter on Aug. 25 saying it has proposed an “overall industry-leading contract” that also includes double-timing pay for working holidays, a two-for-one match of automatic 3% employee contributions to 401(k) plans, and job protections for all current workers. “The union membership knows better than to trust bullet points from American Airlines as the basis of their collective bargaining agreement,” Transport Workers Union Local 591 President Gary Peterson responded. American also said in the letter that it plans to outsource de-icing operations and shift some facility maintenance to outside contractors, although it promised to keep fleet service work at 40 stations in-house. The airline, with merged with US Airways in 2013, is still negotiating a joint contract with the TWU-International Association of Machinists Association, which represents plane mechanics, baggage handlers, and jet-bridge repair workers. After several years without a raise, the mechanics got increases from 15 to 36% under an interim agreement last year, while ground workers got a 24% raise. Read more
