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Tell Congress To Include OSHA Protections For Flight Attendants in the FAA Reauthorization Bill!
 The United States Senate has begun work on drafting important legislation called the FAA Reauthorization.
This crucial legislation is drafted once every three or four years and provides the best opportunity for us to address our AFA-CWA health and safety issues. Our number one priority is to finally guarantee the most basic workplace safety and health protections for our members through the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA).Tell me more...
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Include OSHA Protections for Flight Attendants in the FAA Reauthorization Bill
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
I am a flight attendant and proud member of the Association of Flight Attendants - CWA, and I am writing to ask for your assistance in obtaining basic OSHA work place protections for flight attendants
I am urging you to support OSHA protections for flight attendants in the upcoming FAA Reauthorization legislation.
Since 1975 the FAA has asserted "exclusive jurisdiction" over flight crewmember health and safety but they have failed to exercise that responsibility.
As evident from a survey of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), flight attendants suffer occupational injury rates far in excess of those in every other sector of private industry, including construction workers.
My work space is not worker friendly; in fact, the FAA doesn't even consider the aircraft cabin as a work environment.
Health standards for cabin air, running water and drinking water don't exist. The air I breathe is the same oxygen-poor equivalent as the altitude of an 8,000-foot mountain range. In addition, the cabin air contains engine fumes, pesticide residue and other contaminants. The lavatories are so filthy and unsanitary that I worry over how sanitary my hands are when I prepare and serve food and beverages to my passengers. Incredibly, we are required to pick up trash and food without the protection of gloves, possibly exposing my passengers to germs and disease.
I am expected to push and pull poorly designed beverage carts. Repairs to beverage/meal carts' brakes and wheels, the latches in galley and on overhead bin compartments are left up to the discretion of cost cutting corporations. When beverage and meal carts break, it is common for repairs to be deferred for a day, weeks and sometimes even months.
In every phase of my duties I engage in repetitive lifting (including twisting and reaching). There is not any oversight on the design of my workspace; instead the needs of maximum passenger capacity take precedence and much needed aircraft cabin noise standards have been ignored.
Since 1990 the Association of Flight Attendants - CWA has petitioned the FAA to adopt OSHA safely regulations for crew. For 27 years the FAA has ignored our pleas. It's time to remove the FAA from its "oversight" position and provide real work place safety. OSHA protections for flight attendants will provide benefits to the traveling public as well.
I am urging you to support OSHA protections for flight attendants in the upcoming FAA Reauthorization legislation. Real health and safety protections will significantly reduce hazards in my workplace, just as they have for millions of Americans in other work environments.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
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