United Flight Attendants Reject Deal With 26% Pay Raise

United Airlines flight attendants have rejected a tentative labor agreement that included immediate wage increases of at least 26% and other contractual changes. According to the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), 71% of voting members opposed the deal, with 92% of eligible flight attendants participating in the vote. The proposed agreement, reached in May between the airline and union representatives, covered approximately 28,000 United cabin crew members.

United flight attendants last received a pay raise in 2020. Ken Diaz, president, AFA’s United chapter, said: “United flight attendants today voted to send a strong message to management by rejecting a tentative agreement that did not go far enough to recognize the years of sacrifice and hard work that helped make the airline the success it is today.” He added that the union will conduct a member survey to help shape a revised proposal.

United Airlines acknowledged the outcome and expressed a willingness to continue negotiations. “Our flight attendants are the best in the industry, and this tentative agreement included numerous improvements and industry-leading pay,” the airline said in a statement. “While this vote will cause a delay, and the AFA has outlined steps to resume negotiations — including coordination with the National Mediation Board — we remain focused on delivering the contract our flight attendants deserve.”

The rejected agreement comes amid a wave of labor negotiations across the airline sector, with pilots and flight attendants at other carriers securing new contracts following the pandemic. United flight attendants voted in 2024 to authorize a strike if talks failed and previously requested federal mediation to support the negotiation process.

The proposed five-year deal included retroactive pay averaging US$21,500 per flight attendant and up to US$50,000 for senior crew members,  along with immediate wage increases averaging 26.9%. Starting pay would have increased from US$28.88 to US$36.92 per hour, while senior attendants could have earned up to US$84.78 per hour. The agreement also offered new benefits such as boarding pay at half the standard rate, increased per diem allowances, and commitments to improve layover accommodations.

The union will now survey members to identify key concerns. One likely point of contention is the boarding pay policy, which, while a first for United, did not meet some members’ expectations for broader compensation such as ground duty pay. The AFA has not yet set a timeline for renewed negotiations but is expected to pursue federal mediation to resume discussions with United management.