United Flight Attendants Demand New Contract
Today, United Airlines decided to pull back the curtain on the latest buzzword in aviation—its new Polaris business class. The spotlight shone brightly in Brooklyn, where United executives, like proud peacocks, strutted about to reveal what they consider the airline’s crowning achievement. From the grandiosity of the Val Seny ski resort to the sophistication of the Polaris Studio, the new upgrades boast a lot. And oh, the drama was as thick as the ink on their press releases.
United Employees Accused of Trespassing Polaris Event
So, picture this: just before the big wigs of United Airlines were about to wax lyrical on-stage, something unexpected happened. I got a little insider video from an event attendee who’d like to keep their identity under wraps. While they’re playing the anonymous card, here’s a bite-sized recap of the chaos that played out.
In rolled about a dozen flight attendants, clad in their signature uniforms, wielding massive signs and shouting like there’s no tomorrow. Chants of “If we don’t get it, shut it down” and “What do we want? A contract. When do we want it? Now!” echoed through the venue, momentarily drowning out the pomp and circumstance of polished executives. Drama, thy name is United.
- “What do we want? A contract. When do we want it? Now!”
- “If we don’t get it, shut it down”
For a hot minute, this spectacle lingered, until security decided they’d had enough fun and hustled our renegade unionists away. Accusations of trespassing flew, though one must wonder: how did they breach the velvet rope of the Brooklyn Navy Yard anyway?
Let’s be honest, picketing outside an event is fair game. But striding into the lion’s den is a rarity. United’s flight attendants have been contract-less wanderers for nearly four years now, their plea for a new deal going unanswered since the middle of 2021.
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, representing United’s band of 28,000, put forth a flurry of words about the airline’s swanky cabin upgrades. AFA International President Sara Nelson and United AFA President Ken Diaz had quite a bit to say:
“Service doesn’t happen without us. United has the money to invest in an industry-leading Flight Attendant contract with ‘premium’ compensation, work rules, and cabin interiors.”
“CEO Scott Kirby can roll out all the new product announcements he wants — it means nothing without respect for the people who deliver it. New cabin interiors – if done with our involvement – can be helpful for doing our jobs and we want happy passengers.”
“But a new aircraft cabin doesn’t pay rent, allow us to come to work without stress over paying our bills, attract new applicants, or give us the schedule control we need to have a life. Scott Kirby can’t promise a product without the people who deliver it.”
“No other Flight Attendant contract across the industry in this round of bargaining included concessions. Not one. Today’s announcement adds insult to injury. Scott Kirby has no business demanding concessions while stuffing his own pockets with gold.”
“If Kirby wants to reach true #1 status, it starts with delivering the #1 contract for 28,000 Flight Attendants today.”
United Flight Attendants Deserve and Need a New Contract
Look, unions can make people as divided as politics at Christmas dinner, but can we not agree on one thing? United’s flight attendants have been waiting like dessert at a dietician’s. The cost of living juggernaut shows no signs of slowing, and yet, here we are with stagnant pay.
United flight attendants start at $28.88 per hour. Not dreadful, you muse? Consider this: they’re paid for the hours they soar, not for hours they log on the ground prepping for trips. That amounts to around 1,000 flight hours annually.
They live in pricey cities, too. Their pay pales in comparison to their counterparts at Emirates, who enjoy perks such as free housing and transportation. It’s almost like comparing ski slopes to sidewalk rollers.
Across the skies, other airlines have inked new deals, lining pockets with higher wages and perks galore. Take a gander at American’s latest—a seismic shift in the flight attendant pay scale with a nice side of boarding pay.
And yet here we are, with United and the union still stuck like old chewing gum on a hot sidewalk. Negotiations drag on, the reason anyone’s guess. A duel of who blinks first, it seems. Eventually, historical trends indicate they’ll get what’s comparable to the American deal. That’s how this tango usually unfolds.
Amid United’s upward trajectory—with the carrier now rubbing financial elbows with Delta—the lack of a ratified contract for flight attendants is padding their profits to the tune of at least a billion dollars every year.
Is management delaying as a strategic move to maintain this cash flow avalanche, lining executive pockets with bonuses? The curtain might soon drop, but for now, the questions remain unanswered.
Bottom Line
United Airlines’ Polaris debut was gatecrashed by a dozen vocal flight attendants demanding fair compensation and conditions. Amidst accusations of trespassing, they were unceremoniously shown the exit.
Here’s the kicker: United’s made significant strides under Scott Kirby’s command, but the clock has run out. It’s high time these flight attendants got the contract they deserve.