Flight Attendant Union's Top Safety Priority for Improved Rest Included in FAA Reauthorization Bill
Washington, DC (September 22, 2018) — The 50,000 Flight Attendants at 20 airlines represented by the Association of Flight Attendants–CWA, AFL-CIO (AFA), today cheered the announcement of a bicameral FAA Reauthorization Bill ready for approval prior to the September 30, 2018 deadline. The bill includes the union’s top safety priority for 10 hours minimum rest, equal with the flight deck, among other AFA safety priorities. AFA International President Sara Nelson issued the following statement:
"The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA enthusiastically endorses a vote for the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 with a provision to combat Flight Attendant fatigue by increasing minimum rest from 8 hours to 10 hours. Congressional fatigue studies have confirmed this is a safety issue and with an affirmative vote by lawmakers next week we can close this safety loophole. It’s about safety, health, and equality as we harmonize minimum rest with our flight deck counterparts."
“We applaud Chairman Shuster (R-PA), Ranking Member DeFazio (D-OR), Chairman LoBiondo (R-NJ), Ranking Member Larsen (D-WA), and Representative Capuano (D-MA) in the House for their leadership in shaping this bill that will improve our rest. Senator Hirono (D-HI) who originally introduced the language when she was in the House. Senator Cantwell (D-WA), Senator Nelson (D-FL), Senator Blumenthal (D-CT), Senator Markey (D-MA), and Senator Schatz (D-HI) have all since worked hard to ensure the rest language would be included in a final FAA bill. We are grateful for the leadership of all of these lawmakers and their focus on aviation safety.
"We especially thank Flight Attendants around the country for making calls, signing postcards, rallying, repeatedly visiting congressional offices and taking other actions to achieve this outcome today. There are several other key safety provisions in the bill that AFA has promoted. We urge Congress to vote for safety, health, and equality! Vote for the FAA Reauthorization Bill."
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The Association of Flight Attendants is the Flight Attendant union. Focused 100 percent on Flight Attendant issues, AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight Attendant profession for 73 years. Serving as the voice for Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media, and on Capitol Hill, AFA has transformed the Flight Attendant profession by raising wages, benefits, and working conditions. Nearly 50,000 Flight Attendants come together to form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afacwa.org.
