July 25, 2024
Dear Member of Congress:
On behalf of our affiliated unions, which represent hundreds of thousands of airline workers, the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) urges you to support the 8,000 Gate Gourmet inflight catering workers who have been in contract negotiations for over six years. Remaining under the current contract is unsustainable for workers and their families, as only less than 3% of the workforce makes a living wage.
The National Mediation Board (NMB) recently released Gate Gourmet and its 8,000 union employees from Board-overseen mediation. The NMB declared that all practical methods to reach an agreement as provided in the Railway Labor Act have been exhausted, underscoring the need for your support. Please see the letter below, which urges you to stand with these courageous workers and oppose employers’ groundless calls for government intervention in the collective bargaining process.
As the nation’s largest transportation labor federation, TTD represents hundreds of thousands of workers who build, operate, and maintain our transportation network across the United States. We deeply appreciate Members for considering labor’s perspective in this matter. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact TTD’s Sr. Legislative Representative, Lianne Endo, at liannee@ttd.org.
Sincerely,
Greg Regan, President
Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO
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July 25, 2024
Dear Member of Congress:
As leaders of North America’s aviation unions representing the vast majority of airline workers, we write in support of the Gate Gourmet workers who prepare and load snacks, water and meals onto flights for the airlines where our members work as flight attendants, pilots, mechanics, baggage and freight handlers, aircraft cleaners, passenger service agents, dispatchers and other positions.
The 8,000 Gate Gourmet inflight catering workers, who are members of one of four International Unions, have been in negotiations for over six years. At a time when the airlines are seeing record profits, these workers have been laboring under a nearly decade-old contract in which less than 3% percent of the workforce makes a living wage. And Gate Gourmet’s healthcare plan is so unaffordable that fewer than 2% of the inflight catering bargaining unit has signed up for dependent healthcare for their families.
It is time for Gate and the airlines they serve to put an end to these shameful labor conditions, and start taking responsibility for this neglected workforce.
After six years of mostly-fruitless negotiations and mediation, Gate Gourmet has yet to put forward a serious offer that would provide employees with livable wages and a pathway to affordable family healthcare coverage.
It is not therefore surprising that the National Mediation Board (NMB) recently released Gate Gourmet and its 8,000 union employees from Board-overseen mediation, declaring that all practical methods to reach an agreement as provided in the Railway Labor Act have been exhausted.
These long-overlooked workers have our enthusiastic support, and we hope they have yours as well. We urge you to stand with these courageous workers and oppose groundless calls from employers for government intervention in the collective bargaining process.
Sincerely,
Capt. Jason Ambrosi, President
Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l
Sara Nelson, International President
Association of Flight Attendants-CWA
Brian Bryant, International President
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
John Samuelsen, International President
Transport Workers Union