"The worst meltdown in our history"

Over the past two weeks, a massive operational meltdown has shown yet again why we need a union with a guaranteed contract and real voice on the job.

This holiday travel period has been brutal for Delta Flight Attendants and aviation workers around the country. The busiest travel period of the year has been exacerbated by tight staffing, increasing COVID cases and concerns, weather cancellations, and disruptive passengers.

AFA EAP is always available (844) 232-2228, Ext. 1 for Delta Flight Attendants.

Operational meltdowns or IROPs happen. The snowstorms in Seattle are making Delta’s operational issues even worse. But this is the airline industry and irregular ops are part of the job but that doesn't alleviate management's responsibility to ensure we're safe and aware of what they're doing to try to fix it.

This week, management went days without communicating with Flight Attendants as the operation continued to deteriorate. Management isn’t even activating their own IROP tools — Bizhero (Hotel), Lyft, IROP Connect Forms — developed after the 2016 computer meltdown, with the EIG. Management prided the “direct relationship.” Now, possibly the biggest IROP we've seen in our history, these tools are not being used and we are waiting hours to talk to someone to get operational help. At another airline this process would be locked in a contract.

Our supposed “Open Door Policy” slammed shut. Over on Workplace, management turned off the ability to make new posts on myIFS Trip and myIFS Switchboard, comments are all being redirected to two specific threads, and anything not “immediately operationally relevant” by their definition is being ignored.

This is why we need a contract, so we are protected and there’s a detailed, legally-binding plan in place for Flight Attendants and management when IROPs happen. A contract is good for Flight Attendants and for the company.

With our Flight Attendant union, we would be educating Flight Attendants on our contractual work and reassignment rules, and talking and working with management to right the operation. Flight Attendants know our jobs best. AFA Leadership has been at work this week during the current operational issues:

• Educating Flight Attendants on contractual reassignment provision: United AFA Three Distinct Types of Reassignment per JCBA Section 7.Q.
• If not already in place, Negotiating in real time Premium Pay incentives over and above what’s in the contract to help smooth operational issues: Spirit AFA Holiday Pay MOU.
• Direct union updates, AFA EAP support, and union officers available by phone or email to answer any questions so you're never alone.

Oh, wait, management did have time during all this to implement a new COVID-19 policyeliminating as many as five days of paid COVID-19 sick leave from us, even as COVID-19 cases skyrocket.

It's urgent that we build our Flight Attendant union. Sign your card, update your card, and join our campaign today. It's good for Flight Attendants, good for the company, and good for our future.