Vol. 74/No. 16      April 26, 2010

“We have had no increase in salary since 9/11,” said Winston Garvey. “In 2006 they asked us to take a pay cut. Out of my salary they took 15 percent and I haven’t gotten it back.” Garvey explained that they lost one week’s vacation and all but two paid holidays per year. “Health care is a mess. We can’t afford to go to the doctor.” Garvey has worked at LSG Sky Chefs for 18 years.

—Bernie Senter

N.Y. rally protests closure
of St. Vincent’s Hospital
NEW YORK—A rally of 200 hospital workers, doctors, and local residents took place April 8 across the street from St. Vincent’s Hospital to protest the announced closing of the hospital. The hospital’s board has ended emergency, surgical, and in-patient care, and will close the entire hospital April 30.

St. Vincent’s, which opened in 1849, is known for providing care for low-income and uninsured patients.

Some 3,000 workers are slated to lose their jobs. Over half of them are represented by Service Employees International Union Local 1199. The hospital laid off about 180 in December and another 300 in February.

“The health-care system is really poor. There’s no guarantee for the workers or the patients—it’s just about money,” said a clerk at the rally who has been working at St. Vincent’s for 11 years.

An April 7 New York Times article cited “changes in the fabric of a historic neighborhood” and the “low profit in religious work” as some of the reasons for the decision to close the hospital. The article said that “to satisfy its creditors the hospital may sell or lease much of its valuable Greenwich Village real estate.”

—Maura DeLuca

Flight attendants at United
organize day of action
SAN FRANCISCO—About 200 United Airlines flight attendants picketed at the airport here April 6 to press their contract demands.

The demonstration was part of a day of action organized by the Association of Flight Attendants—Communication Workers of America at 15 airports, including four outside the United States.

“What do we want? A contract! When do we want it? Now!” the picketers chanted. The union contract expired in January.

“After one full year in negotiations management is nowhere near to addressing the improvements flight attendants seek after pay, benefits, working conditions, and pensions were slashed nearly eight years ago,” said an April 5 union press release.

United imposed concessions after the airline filed for bankruptcy in 2002. Flight attendants’ pay was cut 9 percent, pensions for all but the most senior workers eliminated, and thousands laid off. According to the union, flight attendants are working at 1994 wages levels with a heavier workload. Now the company is demanding more givebacks.

“We have already taken devastating cuts—making 1994 wages, paying more for health care,” said Susan, a 30-year United flight attendant, who declined to give her last name for fear of company retaliation. “You can’t take blood out of a turnip!”

A dozen workers from the United Airlines maintenance base, members of Teamsters Local 856-926, participated in the rally.

—Betsey Stone
 

WASHINGTON—Some 70 flight attendants and their supporters marched April 6 at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

“A year ago the Federal Aviation Administration lowered the minimum number of flight attendants required on a number of aircraft,” said Alison Birmingham, a flight attendant based at Dulles for 15 years. “On the [Boeing] 757 the minimum was five flight attendants, now it is four. It’s just not enough to cover all the responsibilities.”

Adriaan Arends, a flight attendant for four years, said that there are currently 2,100 flight attendants on voluntary layoff, but United is beginning to use nonunion flight attendants on some overseas flights. Among the changes United seeks to impose, Arends said, is to reduce the amount of rest time flight attendants are entitled to between flights.

—Paul Pederson  
 
 
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