CHICAGO —Some 500 Association of Flight Attendants-CWA members at United Airlines and their supporters ringed the Willis Tower in Chicago’s downtown in a spirited picket line that stretched for four blocks Oct. 17. The skyscraper — formerly known as the Sears Tower — houses United’s headquarters. A truck circled the streets with an illuminated billboard reading “Ready to Strike!” while determined and boisterous workers picketed.
Attendants flew in from around the world, including London, China and Guam. Other unionists marched in solidarity, including union pilots, air traffic controllers and flight attendants from American Airlines who had recently won a new contract that includes paid boarding time.
“We are not paid until the door of the plane closes,” Kayla Smith, who has worked at United for two years, told the Militant. “If I get injured assisting a passenger with luggage, that injury is my responsibility because I’m not on the clock. Also, the low wages mean many of us have what we call ‘crash pads,’ with beds that we share because rents are so high. We deserve what we are demanding.”
Many flight attendants told the Militant that they live paycheck to paycheck. They said they were incensed when United recently reported that CEO Scott Kirby’s compensation had nearly doubled, from $9.8 million in 2022 to $18.6 million last year.
“United is demanding concessions while they are recording record profits,” Scott Pejas, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA in Chicago, said. “Inflation goes up, but we haven’t had a wage increase in three years. United just announced a stock buyback of $1.5 billion. This is a kick in the face. On Aug. 28 our union members voted 99.99% to authorize a strike. It’s time for United Airlines to pay us or face CHAOS.” Create Havoc Around Our System is the union’s plan for unannounced strike actions targeting specific flights rather than a system-wide shutdown.