Allegiant Flight Attendants Picket for Labor Contract

In an effort to secure a labor contract with better pay, Allegiant Air flight attendants have taken to picketing.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, dozens of flight attendants with the low-cost airline gathered outside of Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport on Wednesday after six years of unsuccessful negotiation.

The protest did not affect flight operations as the demonstrators were off duty.

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Transport Workers Union of America Local 577 representative Rey Chapparo says Allegiant flight attendants' wages are well below the industry average and that they haven't received a raise in over a decade.

According to the union representative, hourly wages for Allegiant flight crew cap at $34 per hour, compared to the industry average of more than $50 per hour.

Additionally, the flight attendants claim they aren't paid for the time spent waiting for delayed aircraft.

"The planes break down every single week, leading to long duty days upwards of 22 hours that we don’t get paid for," Chapparo told the Review-Journal. "We’re here to make sure we’re compensated correctly."

Union and company leaders are negotiating with the National Mediation Board this week. However, if the two sides aren't able to reach a deal, it could result in a work stoppage. The union can request a 30-day "cooling off" period from the board after failed bargaining and let members vote on strike authorization.

For the time being though, Allegiant isn't panicking.

"Informational picketing is an entirely anticipated activity at this stage in a long negotiation process," Allegiant spokeswoman Hilarie Grey told the Review-Journal. "We remain committed, as always, to negotiate in good faith."

READ MORE: Frontier Pilots May Stage Walkout

Last September, roughly three-quarters of the 1,100 unionized Allegiant flight attendants turned down a contract offered by the airline.

In addition to McCarran airport, flight attendants picketed at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on Wednesday.

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