Association of Flight Attendants-CWA

Washington, D.C. (May 3, 2024) — Following the arrests of students and professors at universities across the country, AFA International President Sara Nelson released the following statement:

“Tomorrow marks the 54th year since the Kent State massacre, where the National Guard murdered four students amidst nationwide campus protests against the war in Vietnam. Allison Krause, 19; Jeffrey Glenn Miller, 20; Sandra Lee Scheuer, 20; and William Knox Schroeder, 19, were killed and nine others were seriously wounded.

“The Kent State tragedy proved to be a turning point in the U.S. involvement in Vietnam; it shocked the world to see the military kill our young people while exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest. Then, as now, students protested for peace. The horrific images of students dead and bleeding on a college campus turned the tide of public opinion against the war and the use of military force against peaceful protesters. We call on leaders everywhere to act now with this lesson at the front of our minds.

“It is disturbing to once again witness violent crackdowns on students protesting for peace. Our union unequivocally condemns mass arrests on college campuses and the attacks against peaceful protestors. We stand in solidarity with the students, student workers, and faculty who are exercising their constitutional rights to assembly and protest. We condemn violence and hate in all its forms.

“Protest has been core to American democracy and our values since the day that patriots threw tea into Boston Harbor and is enshrined in the first amendment of our Constitution. Women’s suffrage, Civil Rights, LGBTQ+ rights, labor rights and much more were achieved through protest.

“A strike is a form of protest. Our labor movement was built by those who were willing to risk being arrested, beaten and even killed to exercise that right. To see the power of the state turned against protestors reminds us of the darkest days of our movement, when workers were arrested, beaten and even gunned down in places like Ludlow, Cumberland, Chicago, Homestead, Flint, and many more.

“Our union stands with our union siblings represented by AAUP-AFT, UAW, and other unions whose members have been arrested while exercising their rights.”

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The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, (AFA) AFL-CIO represents over 50,000 Flight Attendants at 19 airlines. AFA is the union that has advanced the Flight Attendant profession for 78 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.