Association of Flight Attendants-CWA

Washington, D.C. (September 21, 2020) — Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Susan Collins (R-ME), chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, today introduced the Air Carrier Worker Support Extension Act of 2020 that would extend the airline worker Payroll Support Program (PSP) through March 2021.  AFA International President Sara Nelson released the following statement:

"Without a relief bill in place by October 1, hundreds of thousands of jobs in aviation and beyond will be lost and the air service necessary for people in every community whether they fly or not will begin to unravel. With one in fourteen jobs in our country supported by aviation, extending the aviation a Payroll Support Program (PSP) is directly about supporting our families, but also critically important for all of America.

"Chairman Wicker is demonstrating, by introducing this standalone bill, the urgency of congressional action. The overwhelming bipartisan support for extending the successful and cost-effective PSP can be the basis for bringing all parties together for a full COVID relief bill. Real people are suffering in every city and state - the very people who have risked their own lives to keep our country going in the midst of this pandemic. These are the people who face in just nine days losing their jobs and healthcare while the pandemic rages on. Inaction is not an option. It will only cost more lives and put our country in deep economic depression. We call on leadership to get a COVID relief bill done 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 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.