First Flight Attendant Contract Signed At United Airlines 65
Years Ago
The anniversary of the sigining of the first contract for
flight attendants was celebrated Tuesday by the AFA. The contract
was inked in 1946 with United Airlines. The union says that
historic contract raised monthly pay, limited duty hours, set rest
periods and established a grievance procedure. It laid the
foundation for the Flight Attendant career that AFA continues to
build on today.
"This week is a true testament to the fact that AFA has been
with United Flight Attendants since day one," said Veda Shook, AFA
International President. "Thanks to the legacy that United Flight
Attendants created, AFA has been the strongest advocate for Flight
Attendants, shaping our jobs into a respected profession and a
career in which both women and men take pride."
Since 1946, AFA Flight Attendants have had the ability to
directly negotiate the terms of their employment as a group, taking
advantage of their collective strength in numbers. Over the past 65
years, AFA members have refined and broadened contractual work
rules that address the unique aspects of the Flight Attendant work
environment, pay structure, scheduling process, rest needs and
more. In addition to improving pay, benefits and working conditions
for Flight Attendants, AFA's advocacy has consistently improved
safety and security standards in the cabin, benefiting both crew
and passengers.
AFA has a long resume of achievements that improve Flight
Attendants' quality of life including challenging discriminatory
policies based on gender, race, age, weight, and family status. AFA
is behind the repeals of the weight program, the smoking ban on
commercial flights, ensuring that all Flight Attendants working on
U.S.-flagged carriers are certified by the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), seniority protections in mergers and
extending FMLA coverage to Flight Attendants.
Veda Shook
"Our achievements in evolving the Flight Attendant profession
from 'sky girl' to first responder are a tribute to the United
Flight Attendants who made history 65 years ago," Shook stated. "We
owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to our predecessors who continue
to inspire us daily."
For over 65 years, the Association of Flight Attendants has been
serving as the voice for Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the
aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill. Nearly
50,000 Flight Attendants at 21 airlines come together to form AFA,
the world's largest Flight Attendant union. AFA is part of the
700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL
-CIO.