United Flight Attendants Being Paid 1994 Wages "We're Willing to Do Whatever it Takes"

More than seven years ago, United Airlines’ flight attendants took steep pay cuts when their company filed for bankruptcy. Management also terminated workers’ pensions, cut retiree health care and eroded working conditions. Those cuts were scheduled to end on Jan. 7, when the contract became amendable.

Today, United is out of bankruptcy, and the airline’s CEO and other top executives have received bonuses, pensions and pay raises.

United’s 15,000 flight attendants, members of AFA-CWA, however, are paid nearly 40 percent less than what they earned before bankruptcy. Flight attendants are being paid at 1994 wage levels but are working 48 percent more.

But management is only interested in more concessions from flight attendants.

"Negotiations began last April, but United has shown no interest in discussing improvements or reaching a new contract unless we agree to concessionary demands,” said Greg Davidowitch, president of the AFA-CWA United Master Executive Council. “Flight attendants are angry because management seems only interested in delaying a new contract, refusing to discuss any improvements.”

AFA-CWA flight attendants have launched a huge contract mobilization campaign — “Whatever it Takes” — to get a fair deal and focus public attention on management’s tactics.

The campaign’s name comes from the commitment that flight attendants have said they will bring to the fight. “One after another flight attendant said the same thing, ‘Whatever it takes,’ when they were asked what they would be willing to do to get the contract that they deserved,” said Sara Nelson, AFA-CWA United MEC communications chair. “It really is our battle cry.”

More than 3,000 United flight attendants have joined the Flight Attendants’ Negotiations Network to build support and get the word out about bargaining and mobilization. Weekly, network activists meet one-on-one with coworkers, updating them on the status of the negotiations and information about campaign activities.

In January, thousands of flight attendants at airports across Europe, Asia and the United States joined a global protest over United’s continuing demands for concessions. More mass demonstrations are planned for April, which marks one year since the start of negotiations.

AFA-CWA members also have taken their campaign to passengers, winning support from a frequent flyer named by management as one of the airline’s top customers. Jim Anderson, selected by United in 2008 as its “Passenger of the Year for Los Angeles,” posted an appeal to passengers and shareholders on his blog to “do all they can to support these dedicated individuals.” At United’s annual shareholders meeting, Anderson told United CEO Glenn Tilton that the airline’s poor treatment of its workers only hurt the airline’s image.

Photo Caption: In January, thousands of United flight attendants protest the airline's unfair bargaining proposals.