Does United’s new deal actually protect flight attendants?
- icarussmith20
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
United Airlines' tentative agreement with its flight attendants has been hailed in some circles as a break through after five years of negotiations. But a closer look reveals a troubling reality: the deal fails to address, and in some cases perpetuates, practices that undermine worker protections and basic dignity on the job.
United's tentative agreement with the AFA-CWA covers 28,000 flight attendants and includes total pay increases of 43.6% to 45.6% over five years – although, as USTN reported earlier last month - that barely covers inflation for the years spent negotiating a deal.
The agreement also offers retroactive pay, a signing bonus, and quality of life improvements like better scheduling, plus boarding pay - which brings United flight attendants in line with peers at Delta Air Lines and American. However, the deal leaves serious concerns around family and medical leave unaddressed.

Proof of Pain
Last week, multiple media outlets reported that United Airlines is sending out a new automatic email response when cabin crew apply for family and medical leave (FML). The email asks for “substantial medical facts” to not only support the FML request but to “determine if you are fit to work as a Flight Attendant”. This type of language is not only designed to discourage flight attendants from taking medical leave by asking for potentially personal information, but also heavily implies that a legitimate absence from work could result in termination.
This intimidation tactic isn't new for United. As USTN reported last summer, the airline started its crackdown by demanding doctors' notes when flight attendants called in sick on weekends. This policy treats employees as inherently dishonest and creates additional barriers to necessary medical care.
As recently as January, United introduced further restrictions on sick leave. The policy requires flight attendants to give at least 8 hours' notice that they're sick, or face disciplinary action up to termination, effectively demanding employees predict illness nearly a full workday in advance. This isn't just poor policy, it's part of a calculated erosion of worker protections, where United prioritizes operational efficiency over employee wellbeing.
United's focus on maximizing profits doesn't even benefit its own flight attendants, as their profit-sharing formula delivered just a 5.29% bonus in 2025. This is a stark contrast to Delta Air Lines, whose cabin crew are not unionised but receive profit sharing based on 10% of the first $2.5 billion in profits and 20% beyond that.
United's more restrictive formula leaves employees with crumbs despite the airline's strong financial performance. In 2025, Delta's generous approach rewarded employees with $1.4 billion in profit sharing, representing 10% of eligible wages or roughly five weeks of additional pay. Over the past decade, Delta has distributed over $10 billion to employees through this program, proving that sharing success with workers doesn't undermine profitability, it enhances it.

A Contract Built on Compromise, Not Protection
United’s tentative agreement raises serious questions about the work done by the AFA-CWA to adequately protect its members.
Beyond failing to address medical leave intimidation, the contract includes several provisions that further erode working conditions, including:
24/7 On-Call Requirements: Flight attendants must remain available around the clock duringlayovers, even after completing their mandated rest periods. This eliminates any genuine downtime and creates an impossible work-life balance for crew members who are already dealing with irregular schedules and jet lag.
Substandard Accommodation Standards: The contract only requires that hotel rooms be "reasonably clean", a vague standard that could excuse subpar accommodations. For workers who spend significant time in these temporary lodgings, this represents a concerning lack of commitment to basic comfort and dignity.
Holiday Restrictions: Proposed holiday blackouts could prevent senior flight attendants from getting preferred time off, plus vacation processing might be outsourced to third parties.
Informal Discipline: Coaching and documentation could be added to records and used against flight attendants without their knowledge or recourse.
These clauses, along with the ongoing medical leave intimidation, create a worrying impression of a contract that falls short of protecting United flight attendants. Yes, boarding pay and wage increases are important but so are basic workers’ rights. AFA-CWA leadership could be accused of using eye-catching figures to distract from fundamental shortcomings in the deal.
Flight attendants deserve representation that doesn't just focus on headline-grabbing salary settlements, but actively fights against daily indignities and intimidation tactics. They need leaders who understand that protecting workers from termination threats over medical leave isn't just a contract issue, it's a basic human rights issue.
It’s concerning that the AFA-CWA has spent five years to deliver such a lacklustre deal while still falling short on salary and bonuses when compared to other, non-unionised flight attendants.