Association of Flight Attendants-CWA

WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 9, 2020) — Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO International President Sara Nelson released the following statement:

“Flight Attendants congratulate President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris on their historic win. We look forward to working with the Biden Administration on the critical issues facing Flight Attendants and working people across the country. There is no doubt COVID-19 is the biggest threat to working people. We are heartened Joe Biden's first act as President-Elect was to assemble a team of experts to lead a plan to defeat the virus. We can't wait to get to work with the Biden administration to contain and defeat the virus, rebuild our vital human and physical infrastructure and create a just, equitable economy.

“We are also clear-eyed. The inauguration is months away. Our health and economic crisis did not stop for the election, and workers cannot wait until January to feed our families or pay our bills. Our country continues to set records for single-day COVID cases. Flight Attendants and working people do not have the luxury of waiting for a Biden Administration or new Congress to get relief.

“The vaccine news today is encouraging, but Congress must act decisively to control the virus and get people through the coming months until widespread vaccination can be achieved. The #WorkersFirst Payroll Support Program (PSP) puts requirements on airlines that will rehire airline workers and contractors, maintain our safety and security credentials, keep in place critical infrastructure for all of our communities and serve as the backbone of our economy as each of us supports 1 in 14 jobs in the U.S. The PSP is the template we need for all relief programs - putting requirements on corporations to direct the funds to working people, maintain healthcare, cap executive compensation, ban stock buybacks and stop the inevitable race to the bottom of labor cost cuts that will result from either no relief or corporate bailouts that fail to do what PSP does for working Americans.

“Right now it is women, people of color, young parents, and LGBTQ+ working people who are disproportionately bearing the brunt of Congressional failure to act. The people who voted in record numbers need results now too. We need #ReliefNow. Congress must act to extend the critical jobs and infrastructure Payroll Support Program for aviation workers.”

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The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, (AFA) AFL-CIO represents nearly 50,000 Flight Attendants at 17 airlines. AFA is the union that has advanced the Flight Attendant profession for 75 years, beating back discrimination and improving wages, benefits, working conditions, and aviation safety, health and security in the aircraft cabin. AFA also partners with the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afacwa.org.