Flight Attendant Union Statement on Shutdown
January 8, 2019 - From Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, representing 50,000 Flight Attendants at 20 airlines:
"The government shutdown must end. As it continues, over 11 million working people that count on a stable aviation system are put in jeopardy. We commend the patriotic frontline government workers, including air traffic control, transportation security officers, and air marshals who have come to work without any certainty of recovering lost wages or overtime for their service during the shutdown. As their paychecks stop this week, our safety and security as well as our economic stability comes into question. Federal safety, security and ATC workers worried about their families, their rent, and their ability to put food on the table will inevitably be distracted from the laser focus required on aviation safety and security. If the lack of a paycheck causes spiraling attrition with no ability to hire new workers, the entire system will begin to unravel."
"This shutdown jeopardizes the jobs of our members, but even before that, it means that critical functions such as cybersecurity work and safety reporting systems are unfunded. Aviation takes a full team of people performing multiple functions of safety and security, and the shutdown unravels those protections. Aviation safety and security is non-negotiable. The reason for this shutdown is purported to be over national security, but the shutdown itself is jeopardizing aviation safety and security systems as well as the livelihood of the people who make our airlines fly. That is unacceptable and we will fight to put an end to it to protect our members and the traveling public."
See also: Take Action to Stop the Shutdown (Jan 15)
