Minneapolis, MN – United flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants, demonstrated at nearly 20 airports worldwide, March 19.

As recent aviation incidents have shown, flight attendants perform lifesaving work every day to ensure the safety and health of the passengers in their care. Management has dragged out negotiations while United flight attendants’ pay falls further behind competitors. With record profits of $3.1 billion in 2024 alone, the airline has more than enough to negotiate an industry leading agreement with the flight attendants.

“United’s goal is to become the premier U.S. airline,” said Ken Diaz, United AFA president. “If CEO Scott Kirby wants to run the number one airline, flight attendants must be number one in compensation, benefits and work rules. It’s time to get this contract done. We will continue to fight until we secure the contract we deserve.”

United Flight Attendants are calling for: significant double-digit base pay increases to lead the industry; more pay for time on the job, including boarding; retroactive pay dating back to the contract’s amendable date; schedule flexibility, job security and retirement improvements; no concessions.

United flight attendants overwhelmingly voted – by over 99% – to authorize a strike if necessary. The message is clear: flight attendants are prepared to do whatever it takes to secure the contract they have earned. And United executives take home millions in bonuses while continuing to push for concessions and cuts for the workers who make air travel possible.

#AFA #Labor

Denver, CO – On March 19 at the Denver International Airport, the United Airlines union, the Association of Flight Attendants, held a day of action.

About 50 picketers gathered outside the airport to show support for a new contract for United Airlines flight attendants. Attendees included United flight attendants, United pilots, flight attendants from other airlines, family members and community members from the Teamsters union. There were even travelers who were passing by through the airport who stopped and joined in to support.

United flight attendants are nearing the end of a long four years at the bargaining table. Some of the things they are fighting for include better pay, better reserve conditions and ground pay. Most airlines have 10 or 12-hour reserve shifts, but United has a grueling 24-hour reserve shift, making the working conditions for reserve flight attendants extremely difficult. Proposed ground pay would be an industry-leading win. This would ensure that flight attendants get paid from the moment they check in at the gate to the end of the after-flight debrief. Right now, several airlines have already won boarding pay, which means flight attendants get paid for the time that passengers are on the plane. Right now, United flight attendants have neither boarding nor ground pay, making this one of the most pressing issues.

United flight attendants voted 99.99% to authorize a strike in fall of 2024. Signs held at the picket read “Pay us or CHAOS.” CHAOS striking is a unique method of striking that is legal under the Railway Labor Act. It stands for “create havoc around our system.” It is a type of intermittent striking that allows for minimum risk for flight attendants and maximum impact on management. Flight attendants at United Airlines are prepared to fight hard for this contract.

“United is second in profits, but fifth in how they pay flight attendants,” Denver AFA President Chris Bruton explained at the Wednesday picket. Bruton is on the bargaining committee and has been attending sessions at the United headquarters in Chicago. It is clear that the successful airline is not paying their flight attendants a decent wage and is also not giving them good working conditions.

“United Airlines: you’re no good! Pay your workers like you should!” was one of the many chants at the Denver day of action. Many picketers held signs that read, “Corporate greed does not fly” and “World class airline, world class contract.”

The sentiment at action was not just that United flight attendants are fighting for better pay, but an overall better quality of life. The issues that are being considered in the new contract are things that will have a large impact on the day-to-day lives of front line aviation workers. United Airlines is one of the biggest international airlines in the world and is one of the last airlines to agree to a new contract.

#DenverCO #CO #Labor #AFA #Teamsters

“Flight attendants at Horizon Air and in the regional airlines deserve fair compensation,” said Horizon AFA President Lisa Davis-Warren. “The company needs to recognize the contributions we have made to its continued growth. We are hopeful that with the help of a federal mediator we will work with urgency to get the pay, benefits, and scheduling provisions we have earned.”

Horizon Air is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alaska Airlines. And while Horizon Flight Attendants work for the regional airline, management at Alaska ultimately controls their pay and working conditions at Horizon – where flight attendants provide the same service as their mainline counterparts while being paid significantly less.

Management has so far failed to offer meaningful pay increases for all flight attendants in the workgroup. Instead of raising the standards for regional flight attendants, management is content to maintain a two-tiered exploitative “regional airline” business model that leaves regional flight attendants behind.

Filing for federal mediation with the National Mediation Board is the next step in negotiations under the Railway Labor Act, and the NMB will oversee negotiations, assign a federal mediator, and schedule mediation sessions.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #Labor #FlightAttendants #AFA #Contract

Denver, CO – On December 11, members of the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) at Frontier Airlines held a rally outside of the Frontier headquarters in Denver. Flight attendants have been in mediation with the companies that refused to meet members' demands. American and Southwest Airlines flight attendants got their contracts, while Alaskan Airlines attendants voted down their proposed contract. Frontier and United have been in mediation with the AFA for more than six months.

There were two chief demands raised at the rally: increased wages, and a shift back to the old business model. Halfway through negotiations, Frontier decided to change its business structure in a way unpopular with workers. One of the chants at the rally was, “What do we want?” to which members responded, “Overnights!” and “Multi-days!” When asking AFA member Ashlee Rosen what the chant meant, she explained that overnights were a great way for workers to make more money. Multi-days include going to a variety of locations and increasing the money earned.

Frontier's new model, which is called “all turns,” makes it so that all flight attendants end up back at the airport they came from on the same day. Members are not making money like they used to, and they are having to spend a lot more money commuting to the airport and spending their own money on gas, car maintenance and tolls.

This change of business model by Frontier is being majorly disputed using the Railway Labor Act, which is the legal framework that governs the industry.

AFA member Chase Isley read cards from around the nation about the hardships they are facing under this new model. Members talked about going into debt for their groceries and their kids’ school supplies and clothes. Members mentioned having three or more roommates so that they could have a roof over their heads, while CEO Barry Biffle made more than $8.5 million last year. Members also talked about putting thousands of miles on their cars in a month and hundreds of dollars on tolls due to having to commute back and forth to the airport daily.

More than half of the 20 AFA-represented airlines, totaling more than 50,000 members, have been in contract negotiations with various airline corporations. AFA members say they are ready to strike if the companies continue to delay their contract negotiations.

#DenverCO #AFA #FrontierAirlines

“It’s time to add pressure and urgency to these negotiations and raise the standards for Mesa flight attendants,” said Shannon Harris, Mesa AFA president. “Flight attendants at Mesa need relief now in order to make ends meet. It’s time to get this done and if United Airlines has ‘extra cash’ for Wall Street with a $1.5 billion stock buyback they certainly have cash to lift us out of poverty wages.”

While Mesa flight attendants work for the regional airline, airline management at United ultimately controls the pay and working conditions at Mesa, which provides a significant amount of United’s route structure. The exploitative “regional airline” business model allows United to reap massive profits, while suppressing wages and benefits for workers at regionals.

Passengers generally don’t know that they are flying with a different airline, one that pays almost half as much in pay and benefits for the workers.

“Passengers board these United-branded flights unaware that the flight attendants working them are paid nearly 45% less for the same work,” said Sara Nelson, AFA international president. “The immoral contract structure that locks in two tiers of employment for the same [job] has got to end. The greed that drives massive payouts for executives and hedge funds cannot leave flight attendants starving. Our union is demanding an end to tiers of employment in aviation.”

The National Mediation Board will oversee this week’s negotiations in New Orleans, as Mesa Air flight attendants continue to press for a contract that reflects their essential contributions as aviation’s first responders to United’s operation.

#WashingtonDC #Labor #AFA #FlightAttendants

Detroit, MI - On Monday, August 5, Endeavor flight attendants represented by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) held an awareness picket at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) to highlight the significant pay disparities between flight attendants working for Endeavor, Delta’s wholly-owned regional subsidiary, and those working for mainline Delta Air Lines.

Led by Oscar Ochomogo, president of Endeavor AFA, Council 46 DTW, the flight attendants sought to draw attention to the need to end Delta’s two-tier pay system, referred to by workers as the “Delta disparity difference.”

On average, Endeavor flight attendants make 45% less than their counterparts at mainline Delta Air Lines. While mainline Delta flight attendants earn $35.50 per hour, including pay for boarding and departing time, Endeavor flight attendants receive only $25.46 per hour and are not compensated for boarding and off-boarding, which are considered the most challenging parts of their job.

This disparity exacerbates the challenges that flight attendants already face. As Ochomogo explains, “You're gone for four or five days on these trips. You don't have a refrigerator, so you have to buy food out or pack in such a way. The food is very expensive in the airport or in these markets at the hotels, because a lot of times we don't have transportation to go somewhere.”

In cities like New York, some flight attendants have had to rely on food stamps despite the high number of flights they handle in such busy regions. One Endeavor flight attendant noted that it is not uncommon for Endeavor attendants to work nearly twice the number of flights as their mainline Delta peers.

Ochomogo further elaborated on the situation, stating, “We only get paid for the flight out. For example, this morning, we have a Detroit to Buffalo flight. It's operated by Delta, you buy a reservation on the Delta ticket, get Delta service, Delta aircraft, they pay the Delta flight attendants that higher wage. Then, later [today] it’s operated by Endeavor, but your ticket will still say Delta, the gate agent will say Delta, we'll wear the same Delta uniform, say thank you for flying Delta connection, but we get paid 45% less.”

The protest was bolstered by the presence of high-profile labor leaders, including International President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Sara Nelson, and Shawn Fain, president of the United Automobile Workers. Their support underscored the solidarity among different labor unions in the fight against corporate greed and for a better life for the working class.

The “Delta Disparity Difference – DTW Day of Action” sends a powerful message to Delta and other airlines: the fight for fair compensation and equitable treatment is far from over. Flight attendants and their supporters are committed to challenging the status quo and ensuring that all workers receive the respect and pay they deserve.

People can demonstrate their solidarity with the workers by signing AFA’s petition to Delta CEO Ed Bastian, demanding an end to the Delta Disparity Difference.

#DetroitMI #Delta #AFA #AFACWA #Feature

Los Angeles, CA – On the late morning of June 13, hundreds of flight attendants from different airlines picketed across terminals at LAX, the Los Angeles airport. Three unions were present and coordinated together Worldwide Day of Action, hitting multiple airports across the country.

AFA-CWA (Association of Flight Attendants), APFA (Association of Professional Flight Attendants), and the TWU (Transport Workers Union) all organized flight attendants as they marched throughout the busy LAX terminals demanding contracts, and an end to corporate greed.

Flight attendants are demanding action as negotiations have reached a standstill between them and different airline companies. Flight attendants are currently in negotiations at Alaska, American and United, which are being stalled by the airline executives. There are also negotiations at smaller airlines – Air Wisconsin, Frontier, Omni and PSA.

Flight attendants have worked beyond the expiration of their current contracts and are demanding better working conditions and pay from companies that are making record profits. Many unions will not work beyond a contract expiration and will go on strike, but, because flight attendants are covered under the Railway Labor Act, they must undergo federal mediation before that can take place. In the meantime, the airlines and Federal Mediation Board have dragged their feet while flight attendants have been waiting. Airline companies know the rules and are taking advantage of the laws in place.

The morning picket started with speeches from different flight attendants in front of the Tom Bradley International terminal at LAX. Busy summer travel and traffic was in full effect Thursday morning. The flight attendants chanted, loudly demanding a “Contract, now!” They then marched to neighboring domestic terminals yelling, “Hey hey! Ho ho! Corporate greed has got to go!” Travelers were shaken by the spirited chanting. Workers at the terminals appeared supportive, though they were on the clock. The flight attendants were joined in solidarity by other unions, including the Writers Guild of America, IBEW local 11 and the Teamsters.

Brendan Moriarity of the TWU Local 579 executive board for LAX and a flight attendant with Jet Blue said, “We organized this picket today to show the solidarity between all flight attendants. We were out here today demanding dignity and respect on the job. We’re demanding better pay, work rules and a better quality of life.” In reference to the extreme hours flight attendants may work where forced overtime is normal, he said, “We work to live, not live to work.” He continued, “We’re here to show support for our brothers and sisters and show the bosses that corporate greed doesn’t fly.”

#LosAngelesCA #CA #Labor #AFA #APFA #TWU #FlightAttendants

The group of flight attendants were made up of members from two unions who are fighting for a good contract, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA, and Association of Flight Attendants (AFA).

Chants led by union members highlighted the rank-and-file members’ anger with how the airline companies have been handling contract negotiations: “What’s appalling? Constant stalling!” as well as “What do we want? Contract! When do we want it? Now!”

The Flight Attendants negotiations fall under the Railway Labor Act, under which the flight attendants union contracts do not have set expiration dates. Negotiations are currently happening through a federal mediation process. There were many flight attendants present at the rally that had not had a new union contract since 2016. Flight attendants from United, Alaska, American and Southwest are all negotiating their next contracts and have already held votes to authorize strikes at Southwest, American and Alaska if needed in their fights for a next contract.

The event lasted around two hours and included marching and picketing around various parts of the airport. Some portions of the pickets were visible to cars driving in and out of the airport, where many showed their support by honking their horns. The event was very loud and full of energy.

This action was a first step for flight attendants to show that they are not willing to accept stalled contract negotiations any longer and are willing to bring the fight to the bosses.

#DenverCO #Labor #FlightAttendants #AFA #APFA

Minneapolis, MN – On Tuesday, February 13 around 100 flight attendants picketed in front of the arrivals gates of the Minneapolis/Saint Paul airport in Minnesota.

The crowd’s chants were heard clearly in the whole arrivals area. Chants included “What do we want? Contract! When do we want it? Now!” as well as “If we don’t get it? Shut it down!”

The pickets are happening as flight attendants are in bargaining for their next round of national contracts. The flight attendants who are bargaining include members of the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), and the Transportation Workers Union (TWU).

In 2023, a near strike by Teamsters at UPS was expected to have a major impact the U.S. economy. The UPS contract settlement was followed in short order by a round of “Stand Up Strikes” by UAW auto workers around the country. Both of those contract fights won major gains and garnered much attention from economists and labor supporters alike.

In 2024, as flight attendants bargain their national contracts, many of the same eyes are on these important negotiations, as flight attendants play a key role in the U.S. economy and have the ability in some instances to ground planes on the runway.

The international president of AFA is Sara Nelson. In a recent press release she stated, “Flight Attendants are fighting corporate greed, and demanding that our jobs make it possible to live a good life. Working people in every job and every industry can relate, and we feel the people with us.” Nelson went on to say “Our work brings people together from every part of the planet and showcases the strength of our diversity within our solidarity. We’re making history by standing together as one to make the airlines compete to the highest standards for our careers.”

Supporters from other unions – such as the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, The International Association of Machinists, the Service Employees International Union, and more – were on the picket line. A local labor solidarity grouping called Minnesota Workers United turned out a contingent in solidarity with the pickets and contract fight.

The flight attendants contract fights are a developing story and Fight Back! will continue to provide on-the-ground coverage as this story develops in coming months.

#MinneapolisMN #Labor #FlightAttendants #AFA #APFA #TWU #Teamsters #IAM #MNWorkersUnited

Tampa, FL – On February 13, over 40 flight attendants and their supporters picketed at the Tampa International Airport. This was part of a worldwide day of action held by the Association of Flight Attendants and Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which saw pickets at more than 30 airports across the country.

Over two-thirds of union flight attendants in the U.S. are currently in contract negotiations. In these negotiations the flight attendants are demanding improvements to their contracts with the airlines. Their demands include higher wages and safer working conditions for all workers.

Robert Payne, a board member at large in the Transit Workers Union of America Local 577, said, “You have flight attendants here today with United, with Southwest, with Delta, with Allegiant, with Frontier. Various other flight attendant unions all across the country are coming together and we are all saying the same thing: that we deserve to be treated like the safety professionals that we are, that we deserve a living wage that respects the importance of the work that we do.”

Around 25 flight attendants picketed on airport property at the Blue Express arrivals terminal, before moving to join a larger crowd picketing outside the property of the Tampa International Airport. Passing cars honked to show their support for the flight attendants as they chanted, “What do we want? A contract! When do we want it? Now!”

With an estimated 100,000 flight attendants represented in these negotiations, the worldwide day of action was a first step to show the world that flight attendants are serious about this contract fight.

“Over the last few years especially, I think the public is starting to see the importance of what it is we do and the impact it can have on workers in the airline industry,” said Payne.

#TampaFL #Labor #FlightAttendants #AFA #Contract