Sun Country flight attendants picket at MSP for better wages
Flight attendants from Sun Country Airlines and their supporters gathered Wednesday at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to demand a fair contract and better wages.
The flight attendants, who are represented by Teamsters Local 120, said during the informational picket that their wages are below industry standards and they have been working toward a new collective bargaining agreement for nearly a decade.
Elaine Rishovd, a flight attendant of 29 years and a union steward, said Wednesday that standard practice is for flight attendants to be paid from the moment the plane door is shut until it opens again, but flight attendants are responsible for pre- and post-flight duties.
“We could be on duty for 14 hours and only paid for six or seven,” Rishovd said.
The Sun Country flight attendants said they are not asking to be compensated for those extra hours, but are asking for a higher wage to compensate for the workload as well as the increase in the cost of living.
Cheryl Adamson, a Sun Country flight attendant of 10 years, recalled a time when prior to boarding the flight, a passenger went into cardiac arrest. Adamson said she performed CPR on the individual while she was technically off the clock.
Negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement between the union and the airline began in November 2014 and was amendable in December 2019, according to a news release from the union. Bargaining efforts were paused for 19 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed in October 2021.
A tentative agreement proposal from Sun Country was rejected by 96 percent of union members voting last May, the union said.
The airline, based in Minneapolis, said there were no disruptions to flights from Wednesday’s informational picket and noted the action does not mean a strike will happen in the future.
“We appreciate everything our flight attendants do for our passengers and our company every day,” Sun Country said in a statement. “We respect their right to conduct an informational picket.”
The company said it is committed to working with the Teamsters Local and the National Mediation Board “to reach an agreement that our more than 600 flight attendants will be proud to support and that supports the airline’s continued growth.”
New flight attendants start out around $21 an hour with Sun Country, which the union said is below industry standard.
Flight attendants with Alaska Airlines are also picketing and negotiating for higher pay as they say some flight attendants are on welfare. The entry level pay for Alaska Airlines flight attendants is $24.95, the Anchorage Daily News reported.
According to Indeed, flight attendants at Spirit Airlines average $24.74 an hour and Allegiant Airlines flight attendants average $25.34 an hour.
Newer hires often leave Sun Country after a couple years, Rishovd said, opting for other airlines that offer a higher wage.
“We’re losing good people,” Rishovd said; when a flight attendant announces their departure, the usual response is “good for you,” she said.
Last summer, Sun Country announced a record second quarter revenue of $261 million.
Wednesday’s picket line was the third in the last year carried out by Sun Country flight attendants. The next mediation session is scheduled for February.
