American Airlines and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants are entering into a two week period of intense negotiations that they hope will end with a contract. Negotiations for the new contract began in 2008 and have so far been successful in settling items. However during the next two weeks benefits, wages and other contentious items are on the table. American Airlines said that they hope to resolve any differences through negotiations, but the APFA has said that if the negotiations are not successful, striking is an option. For the National Mediation Board to release the APFA from mediation, they will have to demonstrate that they are at an impasse with American Airlines.
See "Flight attendants union president hopeful of deal with American Airlines", Terry Maxon, The Dallas Morning News, January 10, 2010