American Airlines flight attendants ratify new contract with immediate raises topping 20%

American Airlines flight attendants approved a five-year labor deal, ending one of the industry’s most contentious contract negotiations and giving cabin crews more than 20% raises at the start of October.

Eighty-seven percent of the American Airlines flight attendants who voted approved the contract, the union said Thursday, shortly after polls closed.

“This contract marks a significant milestone for our Flight Attendants, providing immediate wage increases of up to 20.5%, along with significant retroactive pay to address time spent negotiating,” Julie Hedrick, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which represents the carrier’s 28,000 cabin crew members.

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