Picketing Expected At Charlotte Airport Thursday

CHARLOTTE, NC — Flight attendants working for Piedmont Airlines plan to hold a rally Thursday at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport to highlight low pay for regional airline workers, according to WBTV.

About 100 Piedmont flight attendants are based in Charlotte.

“On average, regional flight attendants are compensated 45% less than flight attendants on mainline carriers with new hires at Piedmont making an average base pay of only $16,500,” according to a press release.

Piedmont Airlines is a subsidy of American Airlines and responsible for hundreds of flights a day, many through Charlotte.

Last month, Piedmont Airlines authorized a strike, according to the Association of Flight Attendants.

“Flight Attendants kept Piedmont flying through the pandemic. How does management thank us? By offering a ‘deal’ that would mean cuts to our take-home pay. We are already paid less than our counterparts at other regional carriers, and far less than mainline flight attendants doing the same work at the American Airlines Group. Enough is enough. Piedmont Flight Attendants can’t afford to work at Piedmont," the AFA said in October.

Patch received this statement from Piedmont:

“We are dedicated to getting a competitive contract negotiated for our more than 350 Piedmont Flight Attendants. We have the most professional Flight Service professionals in the industry, and Piedmont is a leader in safety and performance because of their efforts. We are in agreement our team members deserve the best contract and we are committed to delivering that to them. We look forward to getting back to negotiations in December."

They do not expect flights to be impacted and call the picket "informational."

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