Flight attendants working for one of Bozeman's main connection carriers seeking better pay, work/life balance, and protections from unruly passengers. Meanwhile, the company is posting record profits.
The tasks a flight attendant takes on range from starting the day without being paid until the "doors close" to, once they do close, possibly finding themselves front and center to a physical bout in the aisles. Flight attendants have been on the front lines of a staggering rise in unruly behavior. In a recent survey, 84% of flight attendants reported having dealt with an unruly passenger in the last year.
Despite being subjected to unruly passengers, flight attendants for Delta remain the only major carrier that are not unionized. In a comparative financial analysis, Delta flight attendants found that similar jobs at United, a heavily unionized and reliable company, were bringing in over $100 Million more per year in collective benefits. That's no spare change left in the seats after a trip to Yellowstone. These are serious benefits that are tucked away and pocketed in the boardrooms of these companies that the American taxpayer bailed out just a year and half ago.
Aviation Related Jobs Growing in Montana
Since CoVid restriction have eased, Montana has seen a rapid growth in aviation related jobs and, when manpower couldn't be found, managers pushed for more work hours in substandard conditions. Bozeman is fast becoming a regional connection point for large carriers, with Delta leading the pack. Dealing with the number of travelers in temperatures that drop well below freezing are no easy task, and delays can mean longer time spent from home or getting a connecting flight back to Montana to see family on days off. These wins secure those nuanced benefits that have led to so many leaving the industry over the years. Such a win was recently realized by Alaska Airlines pilots.
Alaska Pilots struck deal in September after years of negotiations
Over the summer, Alaska has been negotiating with their pilots for a better wage and working conditions and schedule flexibility. The two sides agreed on a deal that includes substantial pay increases plus key provisions that enhance job security. These were items that were negotiated for literally decades, and it took a pandemic to create a shortage in pilots to tip the scales. However, Delta is not as friendly on the negotiating front.
Delta's history of Union Busting
An estimated $1.2 billion in benefits alone were left on the table since the previous bust 12 years ago
In 2010, Delta successfully busted a union drive with a narrow defeat for the flight attendants in an effort that cost the airline $38 million. If you do the math, there's an estimated $1.2 billion in benefits alone that was left on the table. This also doesn't account for the quality of life and nuanced scheduling rules that other airline unions enforce to protect their workers. Also unaccounted for is the good faith that so many airline workers put forth to keep the airlines going in the last financial downturn. Many workers took a 30% to 40% cut in pay, gave up their pensions, and they even took on the burden for health care. Now, in return, they are having to fight, once again, for the scraps at the table.
Sign Those Cards
It's time for airline workers in Montana to get their fair share of the booming tourism pie. Time is rapidly running out for the 23,000 flight attendants to unionize, so if you are a flight attendant head on over to the Delta Flight Attendants Union and sign those cards!
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