Our Fight is Not Over
October 6, 2020 — As Secretary Mnuchin and Speaker Pelosi moved close to a deal this week that would provide relief to working people across the country, President Trump issued one tweet to blow up the COVID deal and leave millions of essential workers in free-fall. The strong support of the Payroll Support Program (PSP) extension gives us every reason to hope that Congress will take action to #ExtendPSP. Continue to call, tweet and act.
WATCH: AFA President Sara Nelson's October 6 Update on PSP >
The only reason an extension of PSP has not passed is due to procedural issues. We call on the Republicans and Democrats in both chambers to come together and get it done. Call, tweet, write and take direct action below.
Just this morning, Federal Reserve Chairman Jay Powell begged Congress to support the economy until it is "clearly out of the woods" and emphasized that relief of any size "will not go to waste." People need relief now.
Over 100,000 aviation workers woke up without work on October 1, 2020: 45,000 were furloughed and tens of thousands more went on ‘unpaid leave’ when the Payroll Support Program expired. There is no longer anything that prevents aviation job loss. The industry's trade association, Airlines for America said today, "Thousands of airline workers across the country have already lost their jobs – and more furloughs are expected in the coming weeks – because Congress did not extend the successful Payroll Support Program."
We will not stand by while our flying partners are without paychecks and healthcare, nor will we accept inaction by Congress when they owe us certainty for doing our jobs to keep the country connected. The airlines have said they will reverse furloughs if Congress acts quickly to extend PSP through March 31, 2021. Making this extension law will reverse and stop any further harm.
Our union held an emergency meeting this afternoon to review our options to protect Flight Attendants and keep us from harm. The AFA Board of Directors is scheduled to meet again tomorrow. Our work is far from done tonight — we are coordinating with other aviation unions and the industry.
Stay closely tuned to AFA communication channels.
In Solidarity,
Sara, Deb, Kevin
AFA International Officers
Call Congress: Extend PSP
SENATE: 888-848-4824
HOUSE: 888-907-9365
"Hello, I am a constituent calling to tell my (Senator/Representative) that aviation workers are out of time. Furloughs have begun and we only have short time to reverse course. We need relief and an extension of the Payroll Support Program TODAY. Without an extension of this successful jobs program, there is no backstop for layoffs. This is just the start. Inaction is not an option. We are out of time #ExtendPSP now. Thank you.”
Write Congress
Send a letter to your Representative and two Senators >
Tweet Your Representative and Senators (add pictures of you in uniform to each!):
We've made it easy to Tweet at your lawmakers. Click here to get started. Or, you can copy and paste the following Tweets into your Twitter.
- Massive layoffs have begun for Flight Attendants & aviation workers. We only have a short time to reverse course. Extend the Payroll Support Program TODAY, [tag your Senators/Representative]! Pass #ReliefNow to save my job & healthcare! #ExtendPSP
- I’m one of thousands of furloughed Flight Attendants who needs [tag your Senators/Representative] to act to extend the Payroll Support Program TODAY. We need #ReliefNow! #ExtendPSP
- Tell your personal story using the hashtags #ReliefNow and #ExtendPSP
If you do not know your Senators or Representatives' Twitter handles you can find them here! Don't have Twitter, set up an account today to take action. Here's how >
Relief Now Events
Flight Attendants have rallied across the country in Washington, D.C., Newark, Chicago, Toledo, Philadelphia, Allentown, Atlanta, Seattle, Charlotte, Salt Lake, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Denver, Orlando, Cleveland, Detroit, Minneapolis, Los Angeles to demand that Congress extend our Payroll Support Program and pass #ReliefNow. Other events are being planned now.
