American Airlines’ London Heathrow operations may see strike action later this month as more than 50 aircraft maintenance technicians and crew chiefs are angry over a pay dispute. The ballot for a strike runs from September 13-30.
The technicians, employed by American Airlines, are responsible for the aircraft that make 23 daily American Airlines Heathrow departures. The workers are highly skilled and are required to be licensed by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to maintain, repair and certify American Airlines’ fleet for airworthiness.
To achieve the FAA licence qualification requires years of training, experience and a continuing commitment to keeping up to date on all the aircraft types in the fleet. The workers spend several weeks training in the United States to achieve the qualification for each aircraft type.
“American Airlines’ pay offer is appalling. It amounts to a significant year-by-year wage cut in real terms. Our members will no longer accept what are cuts in real wages as the cost-of-living crisis spirals,” says Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham.
