IAM Urges Sen. Paul to Respect Flight Attendants

Tue. February 15, 2011

Last week, the Machinists Legislative team met face-to-face with Senator Rand Paul’s (R-KY) congressional staff to express our strong opposition to the Senator’s amendment to strip safety and health protections for professional flight attendants from the pending FAA Reauthorization bill (S.223).

The Legislative team presented Sen. Paul with a letter from IAM President Tom Buffenbarger and adamantly urged the Senator to reconsider his opposition to extending OSHA protections to flight attendants and to withdraw his amendment to strike Section 509 from the FAA bill.

“Flight attendants have been the first to die in hijackings and the very last to leave a burning or sinking plane, making sure everyone else made it out first,” said IAM Legislative Director Matt McKinnon. “They suffer permanent injuries in turbulence and endure inhuman schedules when weather and mechanical problems disrupt flights. At the very least, they are entitled to the same OSHA workplace protections that all other American workers enjoy.”