Dear Members, 

March brings Women’s History month.  CUPE 4070 would like to acknowledge Flight Attendants and the role they have played in bringing aviation to what it is today.  In the beginning, Flight Attendants, better known as stewardesses, back then, were primarily women.  Most were hired for their good looks and youth, even though they were much more than Waitresses in the skies.  From the start of it all, Flight Attendants, or Stewardesses were placed on aircraft for the safety and comfort of everyone on board.  This responsibility came with extensive training that you still see today.   
 

In the 1940s and 1950s Flight Attendants began organizing and formed Labour unions.  The first major Flight Attendant Union was the Air Line Stewards and Stewardesses Association (ALSSA) which was founded in 1945.  Since then, there have been many different Flight Attendant Unions worldwide, including CUPE.  These unions to this day are fighting for some of the same things they did back then, such as better wages, improved working conditions and job security.  One thing that they have fought for, and we have seen a massive shift over the years, is workplace equality.  The Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) played a vital role in the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which banned employment discrimination based on gender, race, religion, and national origin.
 

Flight attendants are first and foremost there for the safety of everyone onboard.  They have been advocating from the very beginning to bring changes to processes and procedures to enhance the safety of passengers and crews alike.  Some of the things they pushed for smoke detectors and better training just to name a few.   
 

Flight Attendants, formally stewards and stewardesses, have paved the way for the Flight Attendants you see today anytime you are on a flight.  There is a lot more behind that warm smile and cold beverage that you receive, they represent aviation and safety worldwide and it's important to remember the history of where it all began. 

Sources: AFA-CWA 

Your CUPE 4070 Communications Team
Meghan Gulliver