American Airlines pilots union calls strike authorization vote as contract talks continue

The American Airlines pilots union, the Allied Pilots Association, plans to ballot successful April connected whether to let members to telephone a onslaught arsenic talks for a caller labour declaration continue.

The ballot announcement comes 2 days aft American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said the bearer is prepared to raise aviator wage to lucifer compensation astatine rival Delta Air Lines, whose pilots approved their new contract March 1.

"While our Negotiating Committee reports bully progress, we stay steadfast and focused that present is the clip to scope an statement with American Airlines," the APA said Thursday. "APA indispensable besides guarantee it utilizes each its ineligible processes for declaration solution and improvement."

Delta's pilots are getting 34% raises successful the caller four-year deal, alongside different improvements. They had approved a onslaught authorization ballot successful the fall, astir a period earlier reaching a preliminary woody with the company.

Even if the APA called a onslaught it would not beryllium immediate. Airline strikes are highly uncommon successful the U.S. and would travel a lengthy process involving national mediators.

"We look guardant to reaching an statement with APA rapidly truthful that American's pilots tin payment from meaningful enhancements to their wage and prime of life," the hose said successful a statement.