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attendants are struggling to keep up with bills, not being paid a living wage while also being forced to work under outdated and unfair work rules.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.
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