US Airways-American Merger Offers Opportunity for Workers at Both Airlines

Washington, D.C. — The Communications Workers of America today released the following statement on the announcement of the US Airways-American Airlines merger:

This merger is a positive development for employees at both airlines. CWA commends the management of US Airways for recognizing the value of its partnership with union workers and its work to build an even stronger airline going forward.

CWA will actively support this merger throughout the review process.

Under the US Airways management team, this merger offers a huge opportunity for union workers from the reservations office to the cabin to ground operations to work together and create a global model of what flying and work life can be. That's a big plus for customers as well.

Passenger service agents at American Airlines now have an opportunity to get the union voice they want and to join with their colleagues at US Airways, where some 6,000 agents already have union representation.

US Airways agents know that negotiation and bargaining rights are the only way to make real improvements in wages and working conditions, and are bargaining now for a new contract. Piedmont fleet and passenger service agents have a first contract at US Airways, more evidence that the process works when workers and management are committed to bargaining rights. Flight Attendants at US Airways, represented by AFA-CWA, now are voting on a tentative agreement.

CWA looks forward to working with our alliance partner, the Transport Workers Union, and other employee groups in this new partnership.

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For release February 14, 2013.

Contact: Candice Johnson and Chuck Porcari, CWA Communications, 202-434-1168, cjohnson@cwa-union.org and cporcari@cwa-union.org