United Airlines flight attendants ready to strike

United Airlines (UA) flight attendants seeking a new union contract have just revealed a new escalation in their negotiations. With 99.99% of voting members in approval, Labor announced they had authorized a strike should the talks reach an impasse.

“We deserve an industry-leading contract. Our strike vote shows that we are ready to do whatever it takes to get the contract we deserve,” Ken Diaz, president of the United branch of the larger union Flight Attendants Association, said in a statement. “We are the face of United Airlines and planes don’t take off without us. As the Labor Day trip begins, United’s management is reminded of what is at stake if we fail to do so.”

When was the vote on whether to authorize a strike called for last monththe union said it was meant to increase pressure on United to reach a deal. The flight attendants’ contract expired in 2021.

“We continue to work on an industry-leading agreement for our flight attendants, including negotiations this week and every month through November,” United said in a statement provided to Quartz. “Both sides have been actively involved in these negotiations facilitated by the federal mediator requested by the union. We look forward to reaching an agreement.”

Earlier this year, American Airlines (AAL) the flight attendants came surprisingly close to a strike before announcing that a provisional agreement had been reached after five years of negotiations interrupted by the pandemic. Flight attendant contracts are governed by the Railroad Labor Act, which more strictly governs when unions can stop work because it would disrupt interstate commerce.

“In accordance with the Railroad Labor Act, the (National Mediation Board) will keep the parties in negotiations as long as they see the potential for a settlement,” the American union explained to the flight attendants in an update for members. “This means that if the company puts tens or hundreds of millions more into the agreement, NBM will keep the pressure on both sides to move forward to reach an agreement. While we do not agree on how long or difficult it is to exercise our right to strike, when there is movement, NBM will require more negotiations.”