DALLAS, TX – Union reps for American Airlines’ flight attendant union reminded its members of the longstanding rule after the airline unveiled a new surreptitious in-flight monitoring program.
After news of a new in-flight monitoring program was widely reported, reps from the union representing American Airlines sent a missive to its members reminding them of a longstanding union rule: snitches get stitches.
The new program, known as LOSA, offers friendly corporate-speak language designed to insult the intelligence of flight attendants by suggesting the program is like totally optional and stuff:
“This peer-to-peer program will observe cabin crew members’ natural behaviors in the operation in rder to quickly identify safety trends, mitigate risks, and make meaningful changes to our policies, procedures and training. American’s Cabin LOSA is unlike any other audit or observation program:
• Developed in partnership between American and the APFA
• All data collected is safety-related, confidential, and de-identified
• Observations are not check rides and are strictly non-punitive
• Participation in the program is voluntary. Observations are completely voluntary, and all data collected is de-identified and non-punitive.The program ensures confidentiality and anonymity of all flight attendants observed. The observer will ask all flight attendants for their permission to observe the flight. If any flight attendant declines to be observed, the observer will not conduct the observation and any future discussion of the declination will be de-identified.”
Flight attendants for the airline are pushing back on the new program over fears they will actually be expected to do their job without being rude.
A representative for the union acknowledged that the union would be willing to accept the new program if the airline had offered some concessions including things like the option to just toss drink orders on passengers if they feel like it, or randomly run the drink cart into the occasional knee without apology.
