Machinists Union Stands in Solidarity with Flight Attendants in Nationwide Day of Action

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Machinists Union Stands in Solidarity with Flight Attendants in Nationwide Day of Action

February 14 2024

Pictured: Assistant General Chairs Erik Stenberg (left) and Mike Cyscon.

In a display of solidarity, members of the Machinists Union joined flight attendants in nationwide rallies held at over 30 major airports across the United States on Tuesday. The collective action, organized as part of the Worldwide Flight Attendant Day of Action, aimed to bring attention to the ongoing labor negotiations affecting over two-thirds of flight attendants at several major airlines.

Flight attendants from United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Air Wisconsin, American Airlines, Omni, and Frontier, represented by three different labor unions, took to the picket lines in cities including New York City, Orlando, Miami, San Francisco, Charlotte, Washington DC, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Boston, Cleveland, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and more.

The protests underscored the pressing issues at hand as flight attendants push for fair and just contracts amidst negotiations with their respective airlines. In total, the unions participating in the day of action represent more than 100,000 flight attendants at all major airlines in the United States.

“Our time is now!” declared AFA Alaska President Jeffrey Peterson. “Alaska Flight Attendants today backed up our fight for an industry-leading contract with a 99.48% strike vote. And we’re out on the picket line demonstrating that we’re ready to do whatever it takes to get the contract we deserve. There’s no excuse: Alaska management has the money to buy another airline, they certainly have the money to invest in Flight Attendants. We have a simple message for management: Pay us, or CHAOS!”

Flight attendants at Alaska Airlines, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike authorization should management fail to agree to significant improvements. The last time Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants went on strike was in 1993, when Flight Attendants took over the schedule using AFA’s trademarked strike strategy, Creating Havoc Around Our System™ or CHAOS™.

“Alaska Flight Attendants are fired up and ready to go,” emphasized AFA International President Sara Nelson. “You can’t fly without Flight Attendants. If Alaska management doesn’t remember what happens when you disrespect Flight Attendants, we are ready to show them. It’s past time for a fair deal.”

“We are not a line item on a balance sheet,” stated Melinda Beal, president of the AFA Cleveland chapter, as reported by Axios. She highlighted the challenges faced by flight attendants, including longer hours with little rest between shifts, eroding wages due to inflation, and airlines reaping billions in profits. Beal emphasized the demand for raises and the challenge to the pay structure.

The demonstrations are not strikes, though that’s the next step. The industry norm is that attendants don’t get paid until the plane doors close. Union members are calling for full pay for their work during boarding or deplaning and for time on the ground between back-to-back flights. In 2022, Delta Air Lines became the first U.S. airline to pay flight attendants during boarding, but at only half their standard rate.

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