9.12.20 – Flight Attendants March on Washington and Tell Congress: SAVE OUR JOBS

Saturday, September 12, 2020

Flight Attendants March on Washington and Tell Congress:
SAVE OUR JOBS!

This week, APFA members gathered at the United States Capitol in Washington, DC with a simple message for Congress: Save. Our. Jobs.

Fifty APFA members represented both our colleagues on-duty in the skies and our Union on Capitol Hill. It was a day of solidarity with each other, with our brothers and sisters at AFA-CWA, and across the aviation industry. Amplified by a media presence, our voices echoed toward the Senate chamber, down Constitution Avenue, and onto the National Mall. But our efforts cannot end here.

On Wednesday, we chanted, “the skinny bill doesn’t fly.” And on Thursday, Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did not have enough support to pass it through the Senate. The skinny bill DID NOT fly. Now it’s time to tell Congress and the White House to get back to work to negotiate a bill and prevent mass layoffs.

If we are to succeed in saving our jobs, we need everyone to contribute to the effort. Do not underestimate the actions you can take from home, on a layover, or even on sit time. We must all commit to each other to dedicate a few minutes every day this month. The effort we put forth now will determine whether or not 8,000 of us are flying in October. We have the power – now we need to step it up.

KEEP HAMMERING WASHINGTON

• Participate in our Week of Action and keep an eye out for future Government Affairs hotlines. (Have you contacted McConnell, Mnuchin, Meadows, Schumer, and Pelosi this week?)
• Our calls and emails are slowing down! Use this one-click portal to contact your Representatives every day!
• Increase our union’s influence in Washington – join the APFA PAC today! (more info here)

SOCIAL MEDIA BLITZ

Use your social media platforms as a mode to contact our Representatives and to keep this issue trending. We are not just numbers, we are real people. You are the face of the furlough.
Post your pictures, from a picketing event or in uniform, tag your Representatives that should be keeping your best interests in mind, and use the hashtags #FacingFurlough #ReliefNow #ExtendPSP

• [Tag your Reps] Save my job! Negotiate NOW! Extend the aviation Payroll Support Program soon, before thousands of US jobs are lost on October 1. #FacingFurlough #ReliefNow #ExtendPSP
• Flight Attendants and aviation workers are facing massive layoffs on October 1 if Congress does not act soon. [Tag your Reps], pass #ReliefNow to save my job & healthcare! #FacingFurlough #ExtendPSP
• Tweet your Reps! Twitter is an effective political tool, so if you tweet, post a photo and make sure to include Washington leadership @senatemajldr @SpeakerPelosi @SenSchumer @stevenmnuchin1 @MarkMeadows @realDonaldTrump

Due to quarantine restrictions, many of our colleagues could not be present in Washington. But APFA members have been showing up all across the country. Last week, our members in DFW, PHL, and MIA picketed at four Senate offices. This week, ORD and CLT came out to picket in support of our jobs. On Monday, MIA will—yet again—tell Senator Rick Scott that the PSP is not an airline bailout, that the PSP will save Florida jobs and support Florida tourism.

Keep up the action!

Click Here for More #ReliefNow Event Photos

In Solidarity,

Allie Malis
APFA Government Affairs Representative

Lori Glattly
APFA Government Affairs Representative

[email protected]