Thousands of flight attendants will pick up at major airports on Tuesday, urging airlines to provide better pay and working conditions.
"Worldwide Flight Attendant Day of Action"
Dubbed the "Worldwide Flight Attendant Day of Action," it's described as the "largest collective action in the history of the profession," by the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA).
In a press statement, attendants mention that airline CEOs have given themselves bonuses and incentives, and "we expect and demand our fair share."
Airlines with Protesting Attendants
Protesting attendants come from American Airlines in Fort Worth, Southwest in Dallas, United, and Alaska Air. Picketing will take place in the U.K., U.S., and Guam.
In the U.S., it will occur at airports in over 30 major cities, like Seattle, Houston, and Boston.
The participating flight attendants belong to unions representing over 100,000 U.S. workers, according to the association, and the pickets are not expected to disrupt flights.
Pushing for Better Pay, Security, and Flexibility
Over two-thirds of U.S. flight attendants are currently negotiating contracts with American, Alaska, United, Southwest, and Frontier Airlines to secure contracts matching the profits they generate, asking for better pay, retirement security, and schedule flexibility. Other groups, like pilots, have recently settled agreements with different airlines. Now, flight attendants are saying it's their time.
The APFA emphasized the "Legacy sexism that traditionally devalued our jobs must be stamped out and replaced with the true value of our work," emphasizing the importance of working to live rather than living solely to work, a sentiment shared by workers globally.
The group described their efforts as a "battle against corporate greed." Flight attendants have been working for improved contracts and solutions to operational problems that impact their work, while pilots have been fighting their battles with airlines.
Airlines' Series of Protests
In November 2022, American Airlines flight attendants protested nationwide at nearly a dozen bases due to contract negotiation problems.
A few months earlier, United Airlines flight attendants participated in a picket called the "Day of Action" at 14 airports in the U.S., Guam, and London, demanding that the airline address ongoing operational disruptions that they claim have had a tangible impact on them and their passengers.
Flight attendants are the first to handle issues during an operational breakdown and address passenger worries. However, they've recently found themselves without help or support from airline management, who are in charge of the airline. The union representing the protesting flight attendants, AFA-CWA, blamed United's management for not properly staffing crew schedules, which worsened operational problems and caused passengers and flight attendants to wait hours for answers.
The trade group for major U.S. airlines, Airlines for America, did not respond to FOX Business' inquiry.
