Piedmont Airlines Flight Attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), today began casting votes on whether to authorize a strike at the carrier after unproductive negotiations. Strike vote ballots have been sent to the over 200 Flight Attendants and a vote count is scheduled for August 17. Piedmont is a wholly-owned subsidiary of US Airways Group, Inc. and operates as a US Airways Express carrier.

"Our union is focused on reaching an agreement that reflects our central role as First Responders. Unfortunately, Piedmont management does not share the same commitment.  Instead of recognizing Flight Attendants' contributions to the airline and partnering with us to plan for the future success of the airline, they have chosen instead to stall progress.  Piedmont Flight Attendants are prepared to take action," said Anita Jwanouskos, AFA Piedmont President.

Throughout negotiations, AFA has continued to address Flight Attendant concerns while management has made regressive proposals. This lack of progress could lead to the National Mediation Board (NMB) declaring that negotiations are deadlocked and releasing both parties into a 30-day "cooling off" period leading to a strike deadline.  AFA has a trademarked strike strategy known as CHAOS™ or Create Havoc Around Our System™.  With CHAOS, a strike could affect the entire system or a single flight.  The union decides when, where and how to strike without notice to management or passengers.

"Piedmont Airlines is an important partner in the successful US Airways network. The dedication and professionalism of Piedmont Flight Attendants have made our carrier a success and it is imperative that we have a contract that reflects those contributions," added Jwanouskos.