American Airlines pilots have delivered a powerful message, as they voted emphatically to authorize a potential strike after extensive discussions with their employer. The pilots' union revealed the results on Monday, demonstrating the strong support for strike action.

The voting, which took place between April 1 and the end of Sunday, saw a 96% turnout of union members, with 99% of them voting in favor of the strike, as stated by the Allied Pilots Association (APA) President.

APA pilot and spokesperson, Dennis Tajer, emphasized that the pilots' readiness to strike reflects the management's push towards a strike situation. Although the process of striking has begun, it will still take some time.

Robert Isom, the CEO of American Airlines, has vowed to provide an industry-leading contract to the pilots. Presently, the benchmark contract is held by Delta, with American Airlines potentially offering $7-8 billion to their pilots over a four-year period.

While pilots appreciate the financial incentives, they also stress the importance of sufficient time off, particularly following the peak of the pandemic. They argue that as air travel rebounded, insufficient staffing led to pilots and crew members being stuck in distant locations for extended periods.

Both the airline and the union have noted progress in recent negotiations, but the union insisted on having a strike option for its 15,000 pilots in case an agreement could not be reached.

Ed Sicher, APA President, expressed the union's determination to strike if necessary to obtain a top-tier contract that their pilots have rightfully earned and deserve. Such a contract would put American Airlines on the path to success.

The announcement coincided with the organization of informational pickets by union members at the ten largest airports where American Airlines operates, including DFW Airport and other airports in major cities like Washington D.C., Charlotte, Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Boston, Los Angeles, New York, and Miami.