AFA Statement on Industry Furlough Announcements
WASHINGTON, DC (August 25, 2020) — Following the furlough announcements from United, American, Delta and other airlines over the last week, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA President Sara Nelson released following statement:
"We have been warning there will be mass job loss in October if Congress doesn't act to extend the most successful jobs program of COVID relief - the aviation Payroll Support Program that keeps aviation workers in our jobs, connected to healthcare, service continued to all of our communities, and credentialed essential workers in our jobs ready to lift the economy once coronavirus is under control. There is overwhelming bipartisan support to continue this program because without it every community will suffer and millions more will have no way to care for themselves or their families.
"In March, everyone thought we'd have the virus contained and the ability to recover. Aviation is still in the middle of the crisis and right now Americans are barred from traveling to the rest of the world even if there were a demand for travel. This crisis is like no other in our history and it requires attention right now! In other crises, aviation workers had other jobs and industries to turn to for work. Not today - for every one job in America five people are seeking it and that ratio is climbing. Real people are hurting right now. In the midst of crisis and uncertainty without a relief bill in place, families are making decisions to leave their homes, sell cars, consolidate, cut spending every way possible, and try to keep the stress from becoming too much to take. The trickle up pain and loss will be felt across our economy. No one will get out of this unscathed. Congress cannot wait to get this Relief bill done. We need Leader McConnell at the table with Speaker Pelosi right now."
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The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, (AFA) AFL-CIO represents nearly 50,000 Flight Attendants at 19 airlines. AFA is the union that has advanced the Flight Attendant profession for 74 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.
