It’s interesting to me that in one breath the union representing United Airlines flight attendants applauds the recent announcement by Delta Air Lines that it will pay flight attendants during boarding, attacks it, and claims credit for it.
United Airlines Flight Attendants Union Walks Fine Line Over Recent Pay Bump At Delta Air Lines
Flight attendants at Delta have rejected unionization efforts for years. One reason that such unionization has failed is because these flight attendants enjoy better pay and benefits than their unionized peers, including lucrative profit sharing bonuses. There’s also a sense that Delta actually takes care of its employees. Last week, Delta announced that it would pay flight attendants for their time during passenger boarding, a period which has historically been unpaid and remains unpaid for Delta’s competitors.
In a note to its United members, the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) lauds the move by Delta and indirectly admits it has been unable to win such pay for its own members, arguing that it has instead focused on preserving the status quo in an era of cutbacks, consolidation, and pandemic:
Earlier this week, Delta management announced they would begin paying their Flight Attendants boarding pay at half the rate of flight time pay. This is a good thing, and, in our view, all Flight Attendants should receive boarding pay. After all, this has been a priority for Flight Attendants for at least the last twenty years.
However, since 9/11 we’ve been consumed with battling management at the bargaining table to keep that which we’ve previously accomplished during negotiations.
I’m not sure how much of a priority it has been, particularly because more senior FAs stand to gain far less because they tend to work fewer flights and longer flights (less boarding time overall per month and the reason for not demanding pay during boarding has always been so that flight attendants can earn more pay during the actual flight).
The AFA now says it is working with the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), which represents flight attendants at American Airlines, to “advance our priorities” and “advance our demands.” Yet nowhere does the AFA state that it is demanding boarding pay commensurate with Delta.
And that’s all well and good. It is not wholly unreasonable that a union is vested in taking care of its long-term members : seniority has advantages. But the AFA loses much credibility by then attacking Delta’s pay bump as merely trying to hide the fact it is increasing boarding time on some fights:
So, one asks, “What the rest of the story?” Shrouded by this announcement is the fact that Delta management has increased passenger boarding time from 35 to 40 minutes and this announcement is their attempt to tamper back the angry reaction it deserves from Flight Attendants.
Seriously? Flight attendants are being paid for this time – the entire time. Junior flight attendants who may work multiple flights a day will see a substantial increase in their paycheck. Why would commencing boarding five minutes earlier to promote on-time departures and paying flight attendants for that time cause any anger?
Then the AFA proceeds to take credit for Delta’s move, arguing its pressure to unionize prompted Delta to make this change:
Further, this decision is unquestionably tied to AFA’s ongoing effort in organizing Delta Flight Attendants. In fact, it can be argued this is Delta’s effort to beat back the Amazon and Starbucks trend at the airline.
So let me get this straight: Delta’s move should be applauded, but it really to hide the fact that boarding will start earlier, but the AFA should receive the credit because Delta’s move must be a response to its unionization drives amongst flight attendants?
Count me as incredulous.
In theory, unions provide great protection to workers, keeping companies in check and ensuring that contractual agreements are upheld. Ideally, airline unions also push safety standards in order to maximize passenger safety and pushback against any efforts to cut corners.
At the same time, Delta has found a way to pay its flight attendants more, allow them to keep even more of their money (no union dues), and keep more money for itself…it represents an ideal model.
The AFA warns that “in the absence of a contract, there is no commitment to lock in this pay factor for Delta Flight Attendants. It’s a stark reminder that Delta management, in the same manner in which it was implemented, has the ability to unilaterally end the boarding pay, at their sole discretion…”
That’s reasonable. But it would not be simply fear over unionization that would keep Delta from pulling back. Rather, it is the realization we see in a micro and macro ways across the economy that when workers are taken care of, they become more loyal, work harder, and everyone benefits.
The bottom line is that unions provide important safeguards against corporate overreach, but when corporations play nice, which Delta sees in its best interest, unionization will not benefit Delta workers. Even if we stipulate that Delta’s move is predicated on fear over unionization, Delta flight attendants become “free riders” (benefiting from unions at other airlines) and it still does not make financial sense for them to sacrifice a portion of their paycheck for union protection they do not currently need.
CONCLUSION
With Delta’s latest move to pay flight attendants for boarding, it will likely stave off aggressive unionization efforts by the AFA. At the this time, it seems that benefits not only Delta, but Delta flight attendants. The move has left unions like the AFA on the defensive, trying to downplay what Delta has done and warn that such gains may be illusory. I think the better approach would be to focus on wining such benefits for its own members.
image: United Airlines
That trade union (maybe other US unions too) needs to join the rest of us in the 21st century. Issuing press releases patting yourself on the back for ‘battling’ the people with whom you are supposed to work is unlikely to win much popularity among the majority of members, and it certainly won’t make other employees, or indeed management, more willing to embrace a spirit of collaboration.
I don’t think it’s necessarily improbable that an employer might give in to demands in order to avoid unionization. That is also something you highlight in your conclusions, so you seem more “credulous”.
I agree with every word in your conclusions, by the way.
I’m now wondering if Delta has opened pandora’s box? This article is about the AFA and what they are telling their membership over at United which is important but everything may not be coming up all roses over at Delta. Delta’s pilots are union and no US airline pays their pilots during the boarding process either and pilot do a lot more pre-flight work than flight attendants. Will Delta also pay their pilots during boarding because I can’t imagine ALPA which is the most powerful union in the airline industry not demanding their pilots be paid during boarding.
When the time comes will Delta make the same generous offer to their 12,000 plus pilots or will Delta take this benefit away from their flight attendants? Both pilots and flight attendants across the industry have been fighting for pre-boarding pay for decades. Delta’s attempt to keep the union out may cost them in the long run if ALPA demands equal treatment.
Actually they don’t . Pilots can walk on at the last minute and go. Yes, they have to plan the flight but so do FAs. Flight attendants have operations areas too just like pilots and work is required by FAs either by computer in Ops or by company phone to prep. However pilots are not required to be onboard during boarding. They can and often do show up just in time to leave. Yes, they have to do a walk around and check safety systems in the flight deck, but so do flight attendants – before passenger boarding can begin. Then once boarding begins it is full responsibility on FAs to take care of everything. So no, pilots do not deserve boarding pay.
You really think pilots just walk onboard an aircraft and just go?????? LOL!!!!! Lord help us I don’t even know how to respond to that.
Very narrow and uninformed view of the pilot task load for preflight. My airline requires both pilots and FA’s to be at the plane 30 minutes prior to departure.
We don’t stroll up at the last minute and go. Any issues with the plane, routing, weather etc must be dealt with, the preflight set up, and all checklists accomplished flawlessly prior to pushing off the gate.
The workload is quite heavy compared to what we do at cruise altitude and is absolutely a critical part of a successful flight.
Give me a whole break.
This statement tells me you have no links to the industry. Pre-flight checks are not part of the boarding process. They are safety checks. Essential safety checks. We do them too BEFORE the boarding process on all our essential emergency equipment (because heavens forbid you see us actually doing something besides popping soda cans eh?) We do briefings too. We do plenty before boarding even starts. I’m checking catering, making sure I have all that I need for that flight. I’m making sure my crew and I are all on the same page. It’s a busy time.
So respectfully, sit all the way down because you don’t have a single clue. – says the one making pilots coffee during boarding.
P.S Staunchly anti union for FA’s @ Delta. 1. A great company and we don’t need one – especially one like AFA. 2. This ain’t my first rodeo and I’ve worked under useless unions that do nothing but fluff their own feathers and blabber about how awesome they all are. ALPA are not keeping the pilots happy either.
Like her or not, Sara Nelson provided a very articulate argument on why DL is doing this. You may not agree with her argument, but I would suggest she is a very gifted union leader who professionally presents her position in a well-organized manner, void of the normal bombastic union approach. I suspect that due to her efforts the union dues paid by her members have resulted in tangible benefits exceeding those dues.
Sara is nothing more than a trumpet for herself. Look at her social media. She has not paid close attention to flight attendants for months. She has been at Starbucks with her coffee and wanting to deliver for Amazon. (They lost their union vote today, btw.) Sara is looking out for Sara.
Keep in mind, Sara was a PR professional prior and that’s where she succeeds. She hasn’t performed her role as a flight attendant in some time and is disconnected from what her members and other flight attendants have experienced the past few years.
This article explains what the truth is following the deluge of folks not understanding how flight attendants are paid. More truth will come out. AFA did not have ‘Boarding Pay’ as a priority; if they did, she admits that her union cannot get results.
I’m surprised that the flight attendants have such inept union leadership.
Sara Nelson was a UAL flight attendant for a very short time before she wanted to get into union politics. Not sure of her experience or education in that area prior to joining United.
DL FA’s are getting the benefits of a union without haveing to be in a union and paying union dues? Sounds like a win-win for the Delta guys.
UA’s union statement is pure Himalayan salt.
I worked at UA and what I found a bit ironic was how AFA had issue with Flight Attendants who interviewed and were selected for long duration Special Assignments.(SA). One of these SA was being a Training Instructor for Initial Flight Attendant Training. Some SA Flight Attendants were also program developers for training, which required they would be on special assignments for a very long time, sometimes years. AFA started having issue with the duration of assignments and wanted constraints put in as to how long a Flight Attendant could be on an assignment. I don’t necessarily disagree with AFA’s position that if you were hired to be a Flight Attendant, then you should be out there flying. What rubbed me the wrong way was much of AFA’s leadership rarely ever flew. If you love people and love to fly…..
Yeah except they don’t “love people,” actually they hate them and are bitter AF, hence the problem.
The AFA should get credit for this major change. Delta didn’t just offer this concession out of the goodness of their heart they did it to keep the AFA out and guess what it worked. Delta’s flight attendants are reaping all the financial benefits of union representation without actually having union representation, but the AFA is correct at any moment in time Delta could reverse course however I highly doubt Delta would do that.
Speaking to some United FA’s that I know many of them have 15 or more years they all applaud Delta’s move and would like to see United follow suit but not at the expense of their work rules. This has always been the problem at United, junior flight attendants want more money, senior flight attendants want to keep their generous work rules which by the way are best in the industry. However when contract time comes around senior flight attendants are the ones who show up to vote while junior flight attendants don’t, so work rules always win.
Your comment makes no sense, if the AFA did it so easily for an airline they do not represent it should be ready to do it for the one they represent. Shouldn’t the airlines they represent be priorities? Delta tried a early boarding experience, their flight Attendants complained about it, they got the brilliant idea to pay their flight attendants for their time and effort. So how exactly does AFA have anything to do with listening, and satisfying your employee’s needs?
Sara Nelson and her actions have always been just a step below the gutter. Laughable knowing she gets paid $153,000 per year for her inabilities. Blaming 9/11 for her newest downfall is pathetic and offensive. A totally new low for her and AFA.
This is yet another example of media at work.
At least since the 70’s, pilots and flight attendants have been paid by block hours because there was a consistent and transparent way of recording when the flight crew had full responsibilty for the plane and its passengers and that was when the brakes were released and reapplied when ACARS was invented.
I can’t imagine how an airline would determine when boarding begins in a similar way. How would every station record when that happened and would it depend on the gate agent doing something?
Flight crew also have to report for a flight a certain amount of time before the flight. Why should they not get paid starting at that time? And when the door opens at the end of the flight and the f/a’s have to stay on board until everyone is off. No mention of that.
Air crew wages are developed figuring in a typical amount of work that’s outside of block hours, so crew could get paid more per hour using a consistent and transparent menthod of paying them, or they could get paid less per hour and get paid for more hours. Either way, crew are going to get the same paycheck.
This is all a media teapot to stir social media because the outraged masses have no idea how things work.
“I can’t imagine how an airline would determine when boarding begins in a similar way. How would every station record when that happened and would it depend on the gate agent doing something?”
The airlines record when boarding commences with the scanning of the first boarding pass. All airlines have it and is viewable by all aircrew and company alike. It’s all recorded in the reservations system. This also how they verify if said passengers have been boarded for weight and balance purposes, for future disputes if passenger said they didn’t get on, etc.
People, why are we talking about pilots and who should get the credit. This is not or should not be a personal thing. Instead it should be about what is happening in our industry. For example each work group is responsible for certain aspect of a flight. In fact, after they complete their checks outside and in the cockpit we or F/As serve them. However, it is not their responsibility to get people seated, hang coats, serve beverages, interact with angry customers all the while trying handle seat dups or families that are not seated together. In our proposal there was no request for pay at the time of check in. Moreover, I don’t care how much Sara or our pilots make, I would like to see equity. Let’s stop this rhetoric it only leads to disappointment. What I am hearing is…it is more important to have people become unionized than AFA working with management to secure a great contract for its UA FA’s. After all my dues are 50.oo I’m sure the union will also get an increase.
In reference to some in the comments section, I was a flight attendant for 8 years for a legacy carrier, now I am a pilot for the same legacy carrier. I will say flight attendants’ preflight duties should be paid 100%. If the argument was made that pilots deserve it too, yes I will agree. However, if it was asked which deserves it more – it is the flight attendants. Most pilot pre-flight checks are systematic and can mostly be done quickly. Flight attendants’ duties are half systematic, half sporadic, and all unexpected. Then, they require they are in a set place when boarding commences (FAR) for a specific amount of time. I read also that pilots can’t just walk on the airplane and go. That’s halfway true – yes we can walk on the airplane last minute, go through our checklist and still be finished before the door shuts. Yet, flight attendants still have to be there.
As to the article, to be fair, Delta wouldn’t be staving off a union if other airlines didn’t have unions. The unions at the other airlines have preserved the status quo, and Delta reacts to the threat of unionization with having to always “top” the others. This works for the all parties. Delta cannot lower their standards because that is the instant they become unionized. the other airlines can’t lower standards because their legally binding contract says so. If one of the airlines tries to give a sub-par contract/work rules, then it goes to arbitration where they take all the 3 legacies and give them the industry standard (which the unionized airlines built). If Delta tries to give a sub-par standard, then they go — wait, they aren’t unionized. They get what they are told they will get. So this tit-for-tat is actually beneficial to all the airlines’ flight attendants.
In reference to some in the comments section, I was a flight attendant for 8 years for a legacy carrier, now I am a pilot for the same legacy carrier. I will say flight attendants’ preflight duties should be paid 100%. If the argument was made that pilots deserve it too, yes I will agree. However, if it was asked which deserves it more – it is the flight attendants. Most pilot pre-flight checks are systematic and can mostly be done quickly. Flight attendants’ duties are half systematic, half sporadic, and all unexpected. Then, they require they are in a set place when boarding commences (FAR) for a specific amount of time. I read also that pilots can’t just walk on the airplane and go. That’s halfway true – yes we can walk on the airplane last minute, go through our checklist and still be finished before the door shuts. Yet, flight attendants still have to be there.
As to the article, to be fair, Delta wouldn’t be staving off a union if other airlines didn’t have unions. The unions at the other airlines have preserved the status quo, and Delta reacts to the threat of unionization by having to always “top” the others. This works for all parties. Delta cannot lower its standards because that is the instant they become unionized. the other airlines can’t lower standards because their legally binding contract says so. If one of the airlines tries to give a sub-par contract/work rules, then it goes to arbitration where they take all the 3 legacies and give them the industry standard (which the unionized airlines built). If Delta tries to give a sub-par standard, then they go — wait, they aren’t unionized. They get what they are told they will get. So this tit-for-tat is actually beneficial to all the airlines’ flight attendants.
Sara Nelson is a deranged lunatic who is using her presidency status at AFA as a springboard for a potential run in Senate or Congress. Don’t be fooled. Sara cares about Sara PERIOD. I stopped drinking the AFA kool aid she serves a long time ago, and I strongly advise other flight attendants to do the same. Flight attendants, did you know that you can become Ellis Objectors and opt out of the union with no legal ramifications from the company or the union? Oh, you didn’t? Start asking questions about your options. We all owe it to ourselves to become as informed as possible, especially when it comes to where we put our hard earned money and how much belief we put in people who don’t deliver.
As a former APFA member I can tell you, they are corrupt and in bed with American Airlines. Research on APFA will show how in 2003 the membership was forced to give back 33% pay, vacation and sick accrual and a few days later, it was announced AA had set aside an obscene amount of money for bonuses to the top 30 executives. If that didn’t suck enough, Glading (APFA pres at the time) and her cousin (a USAir exec) had a covert dinner to get AA and USAir merged. Glading negotiated a deal. How was anything Glading negotiated even legal since she was dealing with USAir and was “SUPPOSE” to be representing AA Flight Attendants.??? The final straw was when the membership voted NO to her questionable contract, but Glading decided to overturn the membership vote and give the company (AA) the contract they wanted. After the “FORCED” contract, Glading was booted out and to no one’s surprise, she was offered a position with AA and now does work with the FAA. APFA is so corrupt and unethical I can’t believe they are still able to call themselves a “union”