Help IAM Flight Attendants Get Adequate Rest, Keep Our Skies Safe

IAM Flight Attendants recently lobbied on Capitol Hill for adequate rest between duty days. They are working this week to include the changes in the FAA reauthorization bill.

As safety professionals and first responders, Flight Attendants are tasked with handling emergencies and caring for thousands of passengers every day. It’s imperative for Flight Attendants to be adequately rested every time they take off.

The current minimum rest, even after a full 14 hour “duty day,” is nine hours, which can be reduced to eight hours. Even in the best of circumstances, this often amounts to a rest opportunity of less than six hours. A recent FAA-sanctioned study recognized scheduling and missed meals as a reason for fatigue and concluded work rule changes are necessary to combat it.

This Thursday, February 11, the House Transportation Committee will be considering the FAA reauthorization bill (H.R. 4441). The IAM is lobbying every member of the committee to vote “YES” to the Flight Crew Fatigue Amendment, which would mandate 10 hours rest for Flight Attendants after a full duty day.

Here’s how you can help:

1. Send a pre-written message to your member of Congress.
2. Call a member of Congress who serves on the Transportation Committee. Click here for a list with contact information. If your member of Congress is on the committee, call them. If not, pick a member from a district containing an airport you fly in or out of often.
3. Share your message on social media using the #IAMfor10 hashtag.

“It’s time to put Congress on notice that we done being treated like second-class citizens,” said IAM District 142 General Chair Sara Gonzales. “They need to realize that Flight Attendants are an integral part of aviation safety and demand to be treated like it.”

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