You might notice American Airlines flight attendants wearing more union pins going forward, and that has some symbolic significance…
While the union wants Isom replaced, it’s clear that’s not happening any time soon, as the Board of Directors (of which Isom is the Chairman) has refused to take action.
As the latest development in an escalating situation, the APFA has now asked its members to start wearing union pins and lanyards, as a sign of solidarity against Isom. Specifically, flight attendants are being asked to wear the “WAR” pins that they wore during their last round of contract negotiations, which wrapped up in 2024.
“WAR” stands for “We Are Ready,” and refers to flight attendants being prepared to go on strike during the prolonged contract negotiations that we saw at the time (actually going on strike is very difficult, but that’s the vibe they wanted to go with). Just to be 100% clear, there’s no strike on the horizon here, but wearing these “WAR” lanyards is supposed to be symbolic.
Here’s the memo the union published for members:
American’s continued poor financial and operational performance is all too familiar to those of us who have been at American Airlines or its predecessor airlines for years, and the writing is on the wall:
Flight Attendants will not accept wage and work-rule concessions to rescue failing top leadership. We have sacrificed before, and we will not be asked to do it again to cover for strategic missteps at the top. It is time to course correct and move this airline in a fundamentally different direction with bold, visionary leadership that knows how to compete, not just cut.
As we continue this effort, Solidarity and visibility matter. Flight Attendants are encouraged to wear the red APFA pin that many of us saved from negotiations as a visible sign of Unity. If you do not have your red pin, please make sure to wear any APFA lapel pin and your APFA blue lanyard every time you come to work.
Your Base President/ Vice President will have pins and blue lanyards available. You may also visit the APFA Solidarity Shop for pins, lanyards, t-shirts, and more!
Every visible show of solidarity demonstrates that Flight Attendants stand together and remain engaged as we hold leadership accountable and fight for the future of our careers at American Airlines.
Good on the union for keeping the pressure going!
Regardless of your opinion on unions, I think most people can agree that American could use a leadership change, and a fresh perspective. So I commend the union for keeping its campaign going, and applying pressure. Ultimately these pins and lanyards are subtle, so I’m curious to see how widespread their use becomes.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on One Mile at a Time.
