Get the Facts Town Hall: Bernstein v. Virgin America and the California Meal and Rest Break
July 23, 2022 - AFA President Sara Nelson, General Counsel Joe Burns, and Associate General Counsel John Morse led a town hall meeting this week to weigh in on the facts on the Bernstein v. Virgin America case and what it means for California Flight Attendants. The legal department also answered multiple questions from Flight Attendants.
Management has been heralding a "sky is falling" public relations campaign intended to deny us our rights in every state. Aviation is unique and we address issues with management all the time at the bargaining table and through legislative solutions. All it takes to ensure our rights are upheld and the operation is not negatively effected is for airline management to work with us on a solution.
Bernstein Town Hall Background
California state law requires employers based in the state to provide breaks during a work shift that are sufficient for accessing a meal and breaks for physiological needs. Flight Attendants who were based in California sued Virgin America and won first in federal district court and subsequently at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.
Airline management appealed to the Supreme Court to overturn the lower court’s ruling, but last month the Supreme Court declined to take the case.
