“Spirit Flight Attendants and thousands of other workers have invested their entire careers in the airline and provided a great service to the traveling public through good and bad times.

“Today, thousands of Flight Attendants and other frontline workers have their lives, paychecks, healthcare, homes, and retirement hanging in the balance.

“Other airline executives are saying Spirit won’t survive no matter what the federal government does. But that isn’t true. Spirit’s competitors are just saying this because they want to gobble up Spirit’s parts without any obligation to the frontline employees who need these jobs to survive.

“We strongly support and are hopeful that the government will recognize the need for emergency funds to keep Spirit flying. Any assertion that Spirit should just liquidate is only going to harm workers, passengers, and further strain our economy. It’s unnecessary and mean spirited – when just a little help can stave off massive harm.”

“Let’s remember real people are hoping and praying for a lifeline. And no doubt they deserve it! But they also deserve consideration and kindness. Keep Spirit flying.”

#WashingtonDC #Labor #FlightAttendants #AFACWA

Seminole, FL – On the morning of January 29, around 20 union members and community supporters rallied outside of Representative Anna Paulina Luna’s office in Seminole, Florida. The Florida AFL-CIO organized the event to demand justice and accountability for Alex Pretti, a Veterans Administration nurse and American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) union member who was murdered by Border Patrol in Minneapolis.

Carol White, the legislative political coordinator for AFGE Local 547, began the event by leading a moment of silence in honor of the memory of Alex Pretti. “AFGE calls for a full and transparent investigation into Alex’s killing, led by an independent third party. We also call for bipartisan Congressional oversight to uncover the truth, ensure accountability, and begin repairing the damage in public trust,” White shared.

The AFGE was joined by speakers from the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association (PCTA) and National Nurses United (NNU). Also in attendance were union members from the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) and the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA).

“Due process does not involve any government agency shooting people on the street who are practicing their civil rights,” said PCTA president Lee Bryant.

Standing outside Representative Luna’s office, the crowd chanted “Hey, Rep. Luna, read the room! Hey, Rep. Luna, shame on you!”

Serving Florida’s 13th Congressional District, Representative Luna has been a strong supporter of ICE and regularly stands in opposition to the movement for immigrants’ rights.

“I demand that Representative Luna use our tax dollars to fund healthcare and not ICE,” said Karena Jimenez, a registered nurse and member of National Nurses United.

The Tampa Bay Area isn’t slowing down anytime soon and will continue to demand justice for Alex Pretti and all victims of ICE violence this Friday night outside of the VA hospitals in Tampa and Saint Petersburg.

#SeminoleFL #FL #Labor #ImmigrantRights #AlexPretti #AFGE #NNU #APWU #AFACWA

Chicago, IL. – On Thursday, January 15, 300 United flight attendants and supporters participated in an informational picket outside the United Airlines corporate headquarters, the Willis Tower, in downtown Chicago. It was 18 degrees out in the windy city, yet United flight attendants, flight attendants from other airlines and members of local unions still showed up to demand a contract and show solidarity.

United flight attendants have been without a contract for a grueling five years now. Their last contract was ratified in 2016 and the United negotiating committee has been struggling with the company at the table since 2021. This is detrimental to the quality of life and wellbeing of the flight attendants, who work tirelessly hard to keep people safe. Many flight attendants are struggling to keep up with bills, not being paid a living wage while also being forced to work under outdated and unfair work rules.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby proudly declares United to be “the best airline in the world” while also celebrating the airline’s profits. However, United Airlines flight attendants get paid the least in the industry compared to other mainline carriers and is the last group of flight attendants without a current contract.

Flight attendants held signs that read, “The best airline in the world, leaving us out in the cold” and chanted, “Scott Kirby has got to go!”

Ken Diaz is the master executive council president of United AFA (Association of Flight Attendants) and is a leading member of the negotiating team. He stated, “We are the first responders. We are safety professionals. We go through extensive training and we just want to be recognized.”

Diaz continued, “We are a predominantly female workforce and we are the only union on the property that has not gotten a contract.”

He elaborates on the haunting fact that other airline employees are making more than 30 or 40% more than United flight attendants. “You can't be the world’s leading airline and leave out 30,000 of your employees,” said Diaz

When asked about the progress towards a new tentative agreement, Melinda Beal, the chairperson of the AFA United negotiating team. shared that there are a couple big ticket issues still left on the table such as wages and important, costly work rules. However, she said that they have been making good progress. She called on the corporate executives to come to the table and finish things up now.

Beal expresses the undervalued importance of flight attendants: “They always say, ‘airplanes don't take off without pilots,’ but guess what? Airplanes don't take off without flight attendants either.”

United Airlines flight attendants and supporters will continue to be loud and demand a decent contract until they get one. They cannot wait another five years.

#ChicagoIL #IL #Labor #AFACWA #FlightAttendants #United #Feature

This past year, horrifying accidents and the government shutdown have put many of us on alert about travel risks. It’s made more people reflect on how important flight attendants are. Their primary job, after all, is keeping passengers safe. As the year comes to an end, let’s put a spotlight on some working conditions that affect their own safety.

Physical injuries

Despite gendered stereotypes about being a flight attendant, the job causes serious physical strain. Strain manifests in several parts of the body, most consistently in the shoulders and back. The job requires lifting your own luggage, working aircraft doors (many of which are old and have levers that require lots of muscle to push and pull), and maneuvering beverage carts that can weigh up to 300 pounds. Even stepping out of tall crew vans in heels can be a fall or concussion risk.

Injuries caused by turbulence are also prevalent. Almost every flight experiences some turbulence. Unexpected turbulence occurs frequently, leaving flight attendants no time to safely secure themselves. The National Transportation Safety Board found in 2021 that flight attendants account for 79% of those seriously injured by turbulence (nearly all of the remaining are passengers who were unbelted at the time of injury).

Additionally, a majority of turbulence-related injuries occur below 20,000 feet. The seatbelt light is illuminated at this altitude. But flight attendants have to be up, due to the high demand of service that airlines push for. Despite the Commercial Aviation Safety Team recommending a policy (over 20 years ago) that would have flight attendants seated from takeoff to cruise and from 20,000 feet until landing, no major airline has changed its safety guidelines to fit this.

Sickness and hygiene

One of the most obvious workplace hazards is the fact that the workplace is 30,000 feet in the air, in a pressurized cabin. Flight attendants go through extreme altitude changes every day, sometimes working up to four flights a day. The pressure changes cause pain and long term issues in the sinuses and ears, a problem that every flight attendant must learn to combat. Furthermore, flying with blocked sinuses, which can result from a common cold or just regular congestion, can cause extreme pain, ruptures, bleeding and in the worst cases: hearing loss. In addition to the pressure changes, working around loud planes and engines every day can also cause ear problems and hearing loss. In a 2007 study conducted by the Royal Society for Public Health, it was found that nearly 52% of flight attendants exhibit some sort of hearing loss.

Flight attendants are routinely exposed to hundreds of people in tight, unsanitary conditions. Especially during the wintertime and holiday seasons, flight attendants are prone to catching many different sicknesses just from being around so many people. Cabin dryness can also harm crewmembers’ immunities, since it’s harder to stay hydrated.

Despite this, calling in sick is a challenge. Especially during the six to twelve month probationary period, calling in sick just twice can be a reason for termination. For example, at United Airlines, flight attendants are not able to call in sick without receiving some sort of discipline “points”. Even when accompanied by a doctor's note, a flight attendant will always be disciplined for calling in sick. This unjust system forces flight attendants to work while sick, which causes further damage. Flight attendants have been fighting for better systems for calling out.

Toxic fumes

In September, the Wall Street Journal published an extensive article about toxic fumes that have harmed hundreds of crew members and passengers over 20 years. Fumes are a mix of toxic chemicals that are used in routine airplane procedures (i.e. oil, hydraulic fluid) that occasionally leak into the cabin and flight deck. They can cause illness, and have been an ongoing complaint in many airlines. The Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) offers education to members on how to recognize fumes and respond, but little has been done by airlines to rectify the problem.

An AFA statement on fumes reads: “The first step in change is defining the problem. The industry sought to make victims feel crazy and define unions as hysterical and hyperbolic, but we haven’t backed down.”

Fatigue

According to a report from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), only 1 in 5 union representatives believe their airline treats fatigue seriously. With inconsistent work schedules and frequent time zone changes, flight attendants commonly experience fatigue. In 2022, the FAA upped the required minimum rest from eight hours to ten hours after flight attendants fought for this. These ten hours are not solely for sleeping, but include passengers deplaning, customs on international flights, and transportation between the airport and the hotel. By the time many flight attendants make it to their overnight hotel, unpack their bags, shower and get ready for bed, it’s almost time for them to wake up for their next duty day. This amount of rest often remains the same even after working 14 or 16 hours, which the FAA allows during maintenance issues or weather.

Another contributing factor to fatigue is the inability to eat proper meals during duty. Flight attendants do not have mandated meal breaks between flights and are expected to find time while flying. The same ITF report shows that three quarters of cabin crew on low-cost carriers do not receive adequate rest breaks. In 2022, after California flight attendants successfully sued Virgin America over this issue, the AFA argued that flight attendants should receive crew rest on long haul flights and be provided meals or compensation for meals. Not getting proper sleep or nutrition can impair cognitive performance and cause flight attendants to make mistakes on the job, sometimes at the risk of their own safety.

Harassment and violence

Flight attendants face routine harassment. Most have stories about uncalled-for behavior: ass grabbing, catcalling, pictures being taken, etc. Some have reported stalking during layovers – think someone showing up to your hotel room.

Almost every flight attendant had seen some kind of unruly behavior. In a 2021 member survey, the AFA found that 17% of respondents reported having had a physical incident with passengers. Their survey cited slurs “too offensive to repeat.” Most receive little to no follow-up on reports to management.

It’s not just passengers. In November, Delta settled a lawsuit with former flight attendant Aryasp Nejat. As reported in the Guardian, the suit accused a uniform inspector of “non-consensual, sexually assaultive touching.” When Nejat posted on social media that this was why his airline needed a union, Delta fired him. Now, they’re paying for him to go to law school.

“One of the reasons that flight attendant unions were originally formed were to root out sexual harassment, assault or sexual exploitation in order to try to get workers to do what you want them to do, to keep them quiet,” said Sara Nelson, president of the AFA.

Mental health

Through all this, flight attendants need to stay prim and proper. That takes it out of you. The National Institute of Health found that the number of flight attendants experiencing depression tripled in 2020. The CDC found that flight attendants have a 50% higher suicide rate than the national average. They go through this while away from friends, family and loved ones.

Unions keep you safe

Some of these workplace hazards may be unavoidable, but company policies can and should be better. Service demands, no-break scheduling, punitive sick policies, handsy managers… the list of preventable issues goes on. The common thread: flight attendants fighting together in a union is the surest cure.

Crew members can plug into AFA campaigns to protect safety on board. These include downloading the 2Hot2Cold app to report extreme cabin temperatures. for identifying and responding to fume events they can access this resource kit.

Various flight attendants contributed to this article.

#Opinion #Commentary