Flight Attendant Gets Fired For Saying She Qualifies For Food Stamps 
By Jim Douglas
August 28, 2010 - A Compass Airlines flight attendant, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), was terminated on Thursday after publicly revealing she qualified for foods stamps. Despite a full-time schedule, flight attendant Kirsten Arianejad was recently featured in a local television interview announcing that she had been approved for food stamps in order compensate for her low wages.
"Poverty is not a crime and it is despicable that Compass Airlines would fire an employee for speaking the truth,” said Patricia Friend, AFA-CWA International President. “Unfortunately, there are flight attendants across the country who have to rely on federal and state assistance to make ends meet. Instead of paying hardworking flight attendants a living wage, airline management would rather shame them and make them fear for their jobs. We call on Compass to immediately reinstate Kirsten Arianejad."
While regional carriers now operate over 50 percent of daily commercial flying, they continue to pay poverty-level wages to flight attendants and other employees. Many flight attendants from various regional carriers find it difficult to provide for themselves and their families.
Compass flight attendants are paid at or near the minimum wage with a starting flight attendant annually making between $13,842 ($1,153.50/month) and $15,453 ($1,287.75/month). The maximum income level to qualify for food stamps in Arizona for an individual is $1,671, making most flight attendants eligible for assistance.
Compass flight attendants, who joined AFA-CWA in November 2009, are currently in contract negotiations for their first agreement. Compass Airlines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trans States Holdings, Inc., conducts regional flying for Delta Air Lines.
Compass Airlines is a regional airline headquartered on the grounds of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in Fort Snelling, unincorporated Hennepin County, Minnesota. It is a subsidiary of Trans States Holdings that began flying a single Bombardier CRJ200LR aircraft under the Northwest Airlink (now Delta Connection) brand between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Washington, D.C. on May 2, 2007. On August 21, 2007, it began flying two Embraer 175 76-passenger aircraft, with a planned fleet of 36 aircraft by December, 2008.
Compass Airlines was formed as a result of a contract dispute between Northwest Airlines and its pilots union, the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA), due to a "scope clause" in the Northwest pilot contract, intended in its collective bargaining agreement to protect jobs and pay of those flying aircraft of 76 passenger seats or less.
For over 60 years, the Association of Flight Attendants has been serving as the voice for flight attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill. More than 50,000 flight attendants at 22 airlines come together to form AFA-CWA, the world’s largest flight attendant union. AFA is part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO.
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This behavior is unacceptable on the part of ANY airline, but is indicative of the callous attitude of Airline Management (in general) toward the circumstance of the working Flight Attendant.
There has been a campaign launched to force Compass Airlines to rehire Kirsten. This issue impacts all flight attendants. At many carriers, hardworking flight attendants are forced to get by on food stamps, while CEOs make millions. Yet the public has no idea. Now is our chance to get the message out and help one courageous flight attendant get her job back.
We need your help in the following ways:
Please send a formal letter from your LEC or MEC to:
Compass CEO Tim Campbell
7500 Airline Drive
Suite 130
Minneapolis, MN55450
Email:
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Fax: (612-713-6895)
Please copy in Catriona Bagley (Compass AFA MEC President) at email,
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.
American Airlines Flight Attendants:
In a recent statement by Laura Glading, APFA President (Assoc. of Professional Flight Attendants at American Airlines) regarding their current contract battle with Management:
"Flight attendants do not want to strike. We fully understand the ramifications a strike would have. But we will do what is necessary to get the contract we have worked so hard for.
"American's future looks bright. Second quarter earnings last month showed a substantial improvement compared with the same quarter last year, and industry analysts are predicting American will report a significant profit next quarter. It's time for management to recognize the sacrifices all employees have made -- including the $2 billion by flight attendants since 2003 -- when they bailed out American from the brink of bankruptcy.
"This battle is about more than flight attendants and other AMR employees; it's about standing up to corporate America and saving the shrinking middle class by fighting for fair-paying jobs for hardworking people."
Occupational ‘Reviews’
UA Management at various domiciles, DEN included, is calling specific Flight Attendants in for a meeting to ‘review’ their Occupational occurrences. While these are intended to be helpful in nature so that possible future occurrences may be avoided, it is necessary to keep the following in mind:
o You have done nothing ‘wrong’ and if a conversation veers in that direction, make certain to re-direct the discussion by pointing out that we work in an environment that is prone to injury with issues such malfunctioning equipment, turbulence, luggage/feet in the aisle, etc.
o AFA highly recommends you not sign anything, as there have been reports that some domiciles are ‘requesting’ a signed ‘promise’ from the Flight Attendant to pursue safe work practice! We are already obligated to pursue safe work practice by virtue of that language in the FAOM/FAIM and it is unnecessary to ‘pledge’ to do so. Signing such a document may lead to the Company arguing a ‘broken promise’ should you be injured in the future through no fault of your own. If you are directed to sign anything, do so under objection, and so state that under your signature.
o Your Union has no objection to the Company trying to find out the reason for injuries occurring, but it does not take a rocket scientist to realize that working at 35,000 feet with very little control of many circumstances, there ARE going to be injuries. THAT is what Worker’s Compensation Insurance is for, and is why companies are obligated to provide for payment of care when employees are injured on the job.
o Be sure to point out just how unfair and punitive it is for Flight Attendants to receive ‘dependability discipline points’ when injured on the job and through no fault of your own!
o Otherwise, if called upon to participate in one of these meetings, attend with an open mind and a collaborative spirit in order to assist the Company in finding ways to provide a safer work experience for their Flight Attendants.
o Feel free to request the Company to allow your AFA Representative accompany you to the meeting in order to participate in these reviews.
o In Denver, our United Safety Advocate is Nancy Byun-Reidel. Nancy is sincerely working to ensure Flight Attendant injuries are minimized and she has helped advocate for several issues that AFA has brought to her attention.
Windshield Signs
As part of the ongoing campaign to remind UAL MISmanagement that we are still here, still wanting them to fulfill their promise
to us of “shared rewards” (remembering that it’s not really a ‘reward’ if they expect us to PAY for it!), and still looking for an end to the Company’s incessant delay tactic…. Your AFA Council #09 is making available to you “CONTRACT NOW” signs that can be placed on the inside of your windshield or rear window when the vehicle is in the employee parking lot.
How about if you drive into the lot and see hundreds of yellow “CONTRACT NOW” signs reminding not only Management but also our fellow employees that we ALL deserve new contracts……NOW!
These signs will be available during our DEN Domicile F.A.N.N. Days held in the SW break-room. We will also have them available at various functions, and they will always be available in the AFA Office above Gate 22/Quiznos. Call first to make sure the office is staffed and then come on up.
Reminders:
· Trash Issue –
o After our last newsletter announced the problem of trash removal had been “solved”, I was informed by the crew flying into DCA that day that there were still some issues of ‘miscommunication’ with UA Management….imagine! So, in follow-up I have once again been advised that the problem is either totally resolved or is very close to being finally resolved.
o I do believe that efforts by SW Management have been moving in the appropriate direction, but ‘other departments’ seem to be slow on the up-take. Soooooo, continue to provide me with the necessary WRITTEN reports of any station that is advising/directing Flight Attendants to remove the stationary trash container trashbags (including the trash bag in the mid-cabin aux galley on the 757). These are NOT our responsibility and we should NOT “make it work for the sake of the operation” UNLESS of course you are ok with this responsibility being added to our duties for EVERY flight at EVERY station(????) [I really hope I already know the answer to that one!]
· Suitcase Searches –
o Articles of Conduct
(FAIM - Flight Attendant Information Manual)
Violation of one or more of the following rules will result in discharge unless mitigating factors are considered applicable.
Article 4
Regardless of intent, any unauthorized or attempted possession or removal of any company property including records or confidential or private information or property of employees, customers or others with whom the company does business.
o Any luggage in your possession (UAL issue or otherwise) is subject to search
· Check your Company EMAIL (not E-Note, but EMAIL) prior to each ID. However you are only required to spend the first 5 minutes checking “Must Read” designated messages. Big-Brother IS Watching, and Flight Attendants are subject to discipline for not performing this designated ‘duty’. However, IF 5 minutes are insufficient time, then advise an Onboard Supervisor of such. Remember – ONLY the first 5 minutes after check-in for your ID is necessary in order to remain compliant.
Council #09 AFA-Union Picnic!
Just a reminder that Saturday, September 25th we are planning to hold our annual Council picnic.
(Ok, this is the 2nd year, but we really think it is a good ‘excuse’ to get together without the uniforms….not naked…just without the uniforms please!)
There are so many issues we face these days regarding our careers, our quality of work and home life, our pay, our futures with the merger on the horizon, etc….that this is an excellent opportunity to meet ‘away from DIA’ and have some fun.
More details will be coming, but plan on joining us on Saturday, September 25th at Cook’s Park (bordered by S. Monaco Parkway, East Mexico, and South Cherry Creek Drive). We have invited our AFA fellow-Flight Attendants at Frontier to join us. And as well, we are looking to have this as an informal “Meet-The-Candidates” opportunity for those seeking election to Council#09 AFA Officer positions. Your current Officers will be available to discuss just about anything you want to discuss, but the usual hot-topics are the Contract, the Merger, the Election, the Crystal Ball, the Contract, and the Merger…..and throw in a few legality questions just to round it out.
Bottom-line, last year’s picnic was fun, but we learned something very important…it is a good idea to have some SHELTER available for those afternoon thunderstorms, so our Membership Engagement Committee has made certain we have such a facility at this year’s site!
September 25…………..plan on it. More details to come!
