Kaine Leads 14 Key Senators to Stand in Solidarity with PSA Flight Attendants Fighting for a Fair Contract
WASHINGTON (September 16, 2025) — In solidarity with PSA Flight Attendants who have been working for over two years without a much-needed pay raise or quality-of-life improvements, Senator Tim Kaine led 14 senators in a letter to call on PSA Airlines CEO Dion Flannery to reach an agreement that acknowledges the vital contributions of these workers.
The letter reads in part: “Under the Railway Labor Act, carriers and their employees are expected to make a reasonable effort to create and maintain collective bargaining agreements. Instead, the PSA flight attendants have been struggling to make ends meet under a current contract that is out of date, which includes pay and benefits well below the industry standard. Regional flight attendants perform more passenger boardings, but they work without boarding pay, which is also becoming a standard in the industry. PSA flight attendants have worked through operational dysfunctions, faced horrific tragedy, managed a surge of conflict and aggression by passengers, and carried the airline through all the good and bad times in between. They deserve your support, gratitude, and a fair return for their work.”
It is notable that Kaine is joined on the letter by Leader Schumer (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations, and Innovation Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), alongside Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
This follows a bipartisan group of House members from areas around PSA bases who sent a similar letter to PSA CEO Dion Flannery last month, including Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC), Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Rep. Dwight Evans (D-PA), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), and Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH).
PSA Flight Attendants are demanding the same new contract framework as mainline Flight Attendants – double digit pay increases, boarding pay, retro pay, and scheduling improvements.
“Flight Attendants save lives every day and serve as the face of PSA Airlines and American Eagle in ever increasingly difficult conditions,” said Sara Nelson, President of the AFA-CWA which represents 55,000 Flight Attendants at 20 airlines including PSA. “Flight Attendants at PSA are doing more work than ever in extremely difficult conditions, while going unpaid during the time passengers board every flight. They deserve pay for this time with passengers and a living wage contract. No one can say that’s too much to ask.”
PSA Flight Attendants have been working under an amendable contract for over two years. They are demanding the same new contract framework as mainline American recently received with double digit raises, boarding pay, retro, and scheduling improvements.
“We need a contract now. When workers are in the trenches, it speaks volumes about who stands with us. So thank you to Senator Kaine for leading this letter along with all of the Senators and members in the House who stepped up to call for a fair contract now,” Nelson continued.