Midwest Airlines flight attendants and supporters fighting deep pay cuts rallied in downtown Milwaukee outside the Association of Flight Attendants—CWA Union’s annual Board of Directors’ meeting.
The company is demanding that attendants making $17,000 to $39,000 a year accept new salaries ranging from $13,000 to $25,000. Midwest also wants to slash pilots’ pay anywhere from 45 percent to 65 percent.
Patricia Friend, AFA-CWA international president, called on attendees at the meeting to join the action in solidarity with the Midwest flight attendants, and they responded. “The situation is critical,” she said, “and we will rally around our members tonight.” Flight attendants from 18 other airlines joined the protest, marching from the meeting to the Midwest corporate offices several blocks away.
Corporate bosses say the company faces Chapter 11 bankruptcy if workers do not accept the steep pay cuts.
