American’s pilots union has been negotiating with its own employees for a year and their employees haven’t seen a raise since 2011.

Now they’ve rejected a proposed contract and are even talking about the possibility of a strike.

“While our preference is to reach a negotiated agreement that addresses APA’s and APSEA’s respective priorities, it is possible the APSEA-represented employees will choose to exercise their right to withdraw their services. APA likewise reserves the right to engage in legal self-help,” APA added.

American’s pilots union says they can’t concede to worker demands because they have to “be responsible stewards of our members’ dues dollars.”

Of course, the union’s unionized workers do not work for the airline and do not provide service to customers. So if they strike then it’s the union itself that stops doing business. Because the union can’t cross a picket line, even when it’s the union that is being picketed.

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