AFA Opposes Diverting Funds Designated for Aviation Security
Washington, D.C. (August 27, 2019) — The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) released the following statement on reports that the Trump administration will divert more than $255 million from the Department of Homeland Security to the border, including $116 million designated for Coast Guard operations, aviation security, and other operations.
“Aviation security is already stretched thin from budget cuts and diversion of security staff to the border. We still have not recovered fully from the reckless federal shutdown, which pushed our industry to a breaking point. Cutting millions in security funding will only exacerbate the situation further, putting unnecessary pressure on every worker in the industry and creating additional stress and danger for workers and passengers.
"Even worse, the funding is only needed because of this administration’s extreme and inhumane policies at the border. The money is ostensibly needed to house additional detainees, but the gap is caused by the unnecessary detention of tens of thousands of immigrants and refugees."
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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.
