Cheap airplane tickets and cheap vacation packages may be more difficult to find if American Airlines pilots get their way in negotiations with the airline. The pilots union has proposed pay increases of over 50 percent to bring the purchasing power of their pay equal to 1992 levels.
American has acknowledged that the company and its union are far apart on a new labor contract. Americans position is that its labor costs are already higher than its rivals. The airline wants its pilot costs to be competitive with other airlines.
Negotiations are currently being overseen by a federal mediator.
Mediator lead talks are also taking place between American and its flight attendants and ground workers. Flight attendants will vote in April whether to authorize a strike.
Thankfully, for passengers that is, federal law makes it difficult for airline employees to strike. If the mediators overseeing the flight attendants negotiations agree with the union that the talks be declared stalemated, a 30 day cooling off period could start after which the union could legally strike.
To make matters even more stressful, Americans mechanics union is likely to request soon that mediators declare the beginning of a cooling off period in their negotiations.