WASHINGTON, DC—Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), made the following statement in support of a proposed new FAA policy to address flight attendant workplace safety in conjunction with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA):
“We are pleased that the FAA has proposed a new policy to give our nation’s flight attendants the health and safety protections afforded to most other American workers since President Richard M. Nixon signed the Occupational Safety and Health Act into law in 1970.
“Since 1975 the FAA has preempted OSHA regulations from the aircraft cabin yet has failed to apply occupational health and safety rules to the flight attendant workforce. As a result, illness and injury rates among flight attendants have exceeded industry norms and standard protections have not been enforced in the aircraft cabin.
“TTD and our member unions representing flight attendants have sought to reverse this regulatory loophole, and today’s announcement by the FAA is welcome progress. We commend FAA Acting Administrator Michael P. Huerta for his leadership on this issue, and for collaborating with Occupational Safety and Health Administration Assistant Secretary David Michaels to correct this wrong that has left frontline cabin crew exposed for decades to unnecessary injuries and illnesses.”
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The Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, represents 31 member unions in the aviation, rail, transit, motor carrier, highway, longshore, maritime and related industries. For more information, visit us at www.ttd.org or on Facebook and Twitter.