The union that represents US Airways flight attendants has authorized a strike vote after its members have rejected two contracts this year.
The vote, which will be conducted between Oct. 31 and Nov. 20, is intended to pressure the airline to move toward a contract that would unify US Airways flight attendants with those who worked for America West before the airlines merged in 2005, a release from the Association of Flight Attendants said.
"Both (Master Executive Councils) unanimously authorized sending out a strike ballot to US Airways Flight Attendants," the union said in an unattributed statement. "We remain focused on achieving a contract that works for all of us and in order to do that, we need to back up our demands by taking action together."
The union's members have rejected two contract proposals this year, both of which were recommended by union leaders.
In April, 75 percent of those AFA members who voted turned down a proposal that would have given US Airways attendants an 11 percent raise and former America West attendants raises between 22 and 65 percent. the America West attendants would have paid more for insurance and given up vacation time as part of the deal.
And in September, union members narrowly defeated a second proposal, one that reportedly would have meant 13 percent raises for US Airways attendants and 25 percent raises for America West attendants. That proposal was defeated by 96 votes, with 85 percent of the union's membership casting ballots.
Officials from the union and US Airways could not be reached for comment.
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