Rodriguez said she is part of a committee at Southwest Airlines that works on critical incident stress management. “My biggest challenge would actually be anxiety and depression, just trying to figure out how to make ends meet without a contract.” It's just, it's so hard," said Rodriguez. “It's become draining the last few years. She feels as though the profession has been pushed aside, and her mental health is suffering. A national survey conducted by the Association of Flight Attendants shows nearly one in five experienced "physical incidents" in 2021.Įileen Rodriguez has been a flight attendant for 30 years. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports a "rapid growth" in the number of passengers who have disrupted flights with "threatening or violent behavior" since 2021. “You might have a 10 and a half hour day, where you're only getting paid for six and a half hours of work.” And flight attendants are tired of giving free time to the company," said Montgomery. While we're boarding, because that's the time period in which we're not making our maximum pay. “It's a little complicated to explain, but basically, there's a lot of hours in the day that flight attendants don't get their maximum amount of pay. One of the key points of the negotiations, according to Montgomery, is the way flight attendants are compensated. Montgomery said the union is currently in the federal mediation process of negotiations. They're having to work more just to survive, and they're ready to fight.” And they are fed up, they need to see that they can meet inflation and pay their bills. They've been without a raise since November 1 of 2019. And they are not able to make their bills with the rising cost of inflation. Flight attendants are feeling abused with extended duty days, massive reschedules, no certainty in their work life. “Flight attendants have shown up here on their days off because they are angry at Southwest Airlines," said Montgomery. They rallied near McGregor Square, saying that spot was chosen because of a Southwest Airlines celebration happening there. Montgomery may find moments to smile on Wednesday, but the reason the group gathered in Denver is no laughing matter. “I have a deep passion for the smell of jet fuel," Montgomery said, laughing. Lyn Montgomery is the president and lead negotiator for the union. The Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 556 represents more than 15,000 Southwest Airlines flight attendants. The area was flooded with chants that included phrases like "make it right" and "Denver is a union town!" DENVER - Hundreds of Southwest Airlines flight attendants and pilots, equipped with signs and megaphones, lined the streets near McGregor Square in downtown Denver Wednesday afternoon to demonstrate how dire their situation amid ongoing contract negotiations.
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