The coronavirus pandemic has severely affected the airline sector. The lockdown duration in 2020 had brought a complete full stop to the sector that affected a number of airlines financially. Many jobs were lost as a number of airlines announced furloughs to adjust its financial positions. American Airline has warned the workers of a possible furlough. If this happens it could be the second round of a furlough.
The warnings come as the airline could remain overstaffed on April 1, 2021 when the U.S. aid for the industry workers would expire. The American Airline is one of the airlines in the United States that received the money from a payroll support package in the month of December, 2020 that had helped to protect the jobs and salaries of the workers through March, 2021. It was expected that this would be the time that the industry that was hit by the pandemic would have been recovered with the rollout of the vaccine.
Parker, during a town hall meeting on January 28, 2021 said that things have not happened as it was expected. Looking at the current situation, the unions of the United States are looking forward to request and pressurize the Congress to extend the third round of payroll assistance and Parker had assured that he would support this. During the town hall meeting, Parker had argued that it would be a better solution than having people furloughed while the eradication of the coronavirus is still a far dream.
During the first round of the furlough, the American Airlines had furloughed 19,000 workers after the first round of the government payroll support had ended on October 1, 2020. But they were then recalled in December, 2020. Parker has predicted that this time only a few workers would be affected. Not just the American, but last week, the United Airlines had sent furlough letters to nearly 14,000 of its employees.
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