Rep. Stansbury Leads Letter Supporting Union Flight Attendants

WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) and the House Labor Caucus sent a letter to the National Mediation Board (NMB) on behalf of the approximately 80,000 flight attendants employed by 21 airlines in the United States.

“Workers and strong unions are why our airline industry runs every day, ensuring millions of Americans make it to their important destinations,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01). “It is time for the National Mediation Board to work with the thousands of workers across the country currently subject to drawn-out contract negotiations. The members of the AFA-CWA deserve to go to work with the protection of a signed contract. We must stay union strong and seal the deal--not the delay.”

A bipartisan group of 168 House members signed the letter. Rep. Stansbury partnered with the House Labor Caucus and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) as co-lead to author the letter.  

“We know that thousands of flight attendants across the country have been stuck in prolonged contract negotiations for years while airline executives drag their feet. As frontline workers, America’s flight attendants helped the airline industry not only survive the COVID-19 pandemic, but also thrive in the ensuing economic recovery, and it's time they receive their fair share of the profits they created,” said Congressional Labor Caucus Co-Chairs Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Steven Horsford (D-NV), and Mark Pocan (D-WI). “We’re calling on the National Mediation Board (NMB) to use all of the tools at its disposal to encourage the resolution of these negotiations so flight attendants and all workers before the NMB can secure the contracts they deserve.”

“The more than 100,000 flight attendants currently negotiating for a new contract deserve one immediately,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick (PA-01). “The unreasonable delays they are facing in the bargaining process have gone on long enough. The National Mediation Board (NMB) must use its authority to ensure our dedicated flight attendants get the fair deal and pay raise they have earned.”

“Deadlines are critical for negotiations. Airlines have delayed earned improvement by as much as five years while awarding CEOs and other executives. Flight Attendants are understandably fired up as they struggle to make ends meet,” said Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA representing over 50,000 at 20 airlines. “A credible strike threat is needed to settle these disputes. We applaud Congresswoman Stansbury and all of the House members who are standing up for aviation workers’ rights and encouraging urgent resolution of protracted negotiations.”

“When contract negotiations are prolonged, workers suffer. APFA praises Representative Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) for taking the lead on this letter to the National Mediation Board,” said Julie Hedrick, National President, Association of Professional Flight Attendants, representing 27,000 American Airlines Flight Attendants. “Because aviation labor contracts do not expire – instead they become amendable – it is absolutely critical that timely deadlines in contract negotiations are set, as intended under the Railway Labor Act. APFA members cannot wait any longer for a contract. Thank you, Representative Stansbury and the many members of the House who signed this letter, in support of improving working conditions for Flight Attendants and other aviation workers.

The letter, addressed to leaders at NMB, acknowledges the work the board is doing during an unprecedented level of bargaining in recent years due to pent-up demand from delayed bargaining during COVID-19 but raises concerns about the increasing number of contract negotiations before the NMB that are being drawn out, unfairly, to the detriment of workers.  

In addition to protracted bargaining, the letter also addressed the recent inability of workers to avail themselves of self-help options to facilitate labor disputes like the workers’ right to strike.

The letter urges NMB to use all of the tools at its disposal to encourage the resolution of disputes with ratified agreements that are long overdue.

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