As president of the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA), Sara Nelson is often described as the ‘most powerful flight attendant in the United States,’ but the union firebrand is worried that Donald Trump’s decisive victory in Tuesday’s Presidential Election is going to make advancing the cause of flight attendants harder than ever.
Two days after the historic election, Nelson didn’t mince her words when she addressed the tens of thousands of flight attendants she represents across some of the biggest airlines across America, including United Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Spirit.
“The election results are extremely difficult for us as a union and advancing our demands,” Nelson said in an open letter that made it clear that it would be harder than ever to close contract deals with the airlines that AFA represents flight attendants at.
AFA is currently fighting to secure updated contracts for tens of thousands of flight attendants at United and Alaska Airlines, and union leaders have made it clear that they aren’t happy with what either airline is offering.
The union is also fighting on multiple other fronts, including an effort to get Frontier Airlines to negotiate an updated contract outside of normal bargaining because the low-cost carrier recently made significant changes to its operating model which has seen crew member wages plummet by as much as 20%.
Nelson has also been campaigning for regional flight attendants to earn the same wages as their mainline counterparts – a major shift that would completely change the way that big US carriers outsource short-haul flying to regional subsideraries.
“We have seen very difficult terrain before. We will do what we always do and assess the situation, determine how to build our power and leverage, and fight to defend and advance,” Nelson said as she attempted to reassure her members.
“We are determining how best to lock in the contracts we need.”
AFA clearly fears that a Trump administration will limit the bargaining power of flight attendants, giving far greater leverage to airlines that already hold a lot of power.
Federal mediators, even under Biden’s presidency, have been incredibly reluctant to authorize a flight attendant strike, and although the National Mediation Board (which is the body that can give the green light to a strike in the aviation industry) is an independent agency, its members are picked by the President.
Earlier this year, flight attendants at United Airlines voted overwhelmingly in favor of authorizing a strike if contract negotiations with the carrier reach an impasse. Unfortunately, United Airlines has been accused of deliberately stalling talks, and it’s not hard to imagine the Chicago-based carrier pushing talks beyond Trump’s inauguration.
At that point, AFA fears that the threat of strike action would become even more empty than it already is, limiting its ability to negotiate a settlement that it can present to its members.
United Airlines has offered to match the base pay rates of American Airlines flight attendants following a recent contract ratification, but the carrier is not willing to offer a ratification bonus or retroactive pay.
