Major Step Forward for 10 Hours Rest
June 22, 2017
Dear Flight Attendants:
Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) of the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee introduced the FAA Reauthorization Bill (H.R. 2997, the 21st Century AIRR Act) this afternoon and our 10 hours minimum rest and Fatigue Risk Management Plan are in the bill! Transportation and Infrastructure Committee leaders Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) and Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA), along with Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA) have been champions on Flight Attendant rest. This means we have the House Congressional T& I leadership committed to making this become law. If you are on twitter, retweet @afa_cwa thank you’s to these lawmakers.
Your Action Is Needed More Than Ever
This is a huge step forward – we are half way there and now we need to turn up the heat and our attention on the Senate. Make your call now to 855-534-1774 to be connected with your Senators. You must call twice to get both of your Senators. Tell them it’s critical that Flight Attendants get a minimum 10 hours rest, and not a minute less, in the FAA Reauthorization Bill.
Although we are not all the way there – do not underestimate the magnitude of what we have accomplished here! We got this done over the objections of the industry! We Powered Up the voices of tens of thousands of Flight Attendants across the industry with letters, calls, rallies and personal stories. In past years we got Congressional authorization for fatigue studies and many of you documented fatigue on the job. We had the science and your voices to make this our number one priority for aviation safety and today we took a huge step toward winning our FIGHT FOR 10!
Let’s recognize what we can accomplish together and redouble our efforts to make this a full win!
I want to especially thank the AFA members from Alaska, Horizon and Hawaiian who blazed the trail for us at the negotiating table for equal or better rest and still made calls, wrote letters and rallied to help lift the standard for all of us. They know that raising up the entire industry also improves their position the next time they go to the negotiating table – and they also know that as long as one Flight Attendant is left behind we are all in jeopardy. Instead, we are working together to Bridge the Gap for all Flight Attendants and reinforce for the world our critical role as aviation’s first responders with the rest and recognition to do our jobs.
I am very proud of our union today and honored to stand with all of you. Rise up, speak up and keep lifting each other up. We are Stronger Together, Better Together!
In Solidarity,
Sara
AFA Media Release on House FAA Reauthorization Bill >
AFA Achieves Several Safety Initiatives in House FAA Reauthorization Bill:
- Flight Attendant 10 Hours Irreducible Rest and Fatigue Risk Management Plan
- Ban on Voice Calls on Planes
- Safe transport of lithium batteries
- Study on Cabin Evacuation Certification
- Requiring privacy for nursing in the airport
- Evaluation and update of emergency medical kit contents, with consideration for children
- Required notification of Insecticide use
The Senate bill is expected to be introduced this week as well with a committee mark up of the bill as early as next week. At this time, we do not expect to have the exact same language in the base Senate bill. So we need urgent calls to the Senate over the next week to change that.
Call Your Senators Today
Calling is easy: When you dial the number, you will automatically be connected to one of your Senator's offices after a brief message. It may take a few attempts to reach both, so keep calling!
Here's what you can say when you are connected:
“I’m your constituent and a Flight Attendant. Studies show I can become fatigued at work. I'm calling to urge my Senator to tell the Commerce Committee to include 10-hour, non-reducible minimum rest for Flight Attendants and a Fatigue Risk Management Plan in the FAA Reauthorization Bill. Thank you.”
