MEC Officer Letter - Looking Forward With Optimism and Renewal in 2022!

DEC 31 - As 2021 ends, we can’t help but look back at the past year and be proud of all that we have accomplished together.  As part of every New Year’s celebration, there is always an amount of reflection, and we look forward to the New Year with a sense of optimism and renewal.  Given the unique events of this past year, we certainly have much to reflect upon.

December 31, 2021

Ladies and Gentlemen:

As 2021 ends, we can’t help but look back at the past year and be proud of all that we have accomplished together.  As part of every New Year’s celebration, there is always an amount of reflection, and we look forward to the New Year with a sense of optimism and renewal.  Given the unique events of this past year, we certainly have much to reflect upon.

Last year at this time, we were still deep in the unknowns of the pandemic.  We had just secured our second Payroll Support Program (PSP) extension, bringing thousands of our furloughed Flight Attendants back to work. The economy and industry were still reeling from the continued impact of the pandemic, and everyone was trying to figure out how to navigate the difficulties with which we were faced.

Together, we met those challenges head on, faced the problems and found solutions. As the vaccines began to roll out, our aircraft and our Flight Attendants were on the front line doing our part to carry our airline, our industry and our country forward.  We helped moved essential medical workers to where they were most required, we carried vaccines from their manufacturers and distributed them nationwide where they needed to go.  In the midst of all of this, we helped families get to their loved ones safely during a particularly challenging time when they were faced with uncertainty and fear.

Our contributions had a direct and vital impact on turning the tide in one of the worst crises we’ve collectively faced in our lifetimes. It may seem like so long ago, because of how much has transpired since then, but as we reflect on world events, it becomes abundantly clear how meaningful our work contributions have been in creating a stable future for United Airlines built on success.

It seems inconceivable that when the year began, we were collectively facing a reduction in force, and that we now have new hires coming on the line by the hundreds, almost weekly. The addition of our newest flying partners signals a renewal of our careers and profession.  As they join our community of Flight Attendants, let’s nurture their spirits and teach them what being part of a crew, a part of our family, is all about.

As Flight Attendants, because our job takes us away from our family and loved ones, we may at times feel a bit isolated, but we are never alone.  While our chosen profession includes periods of time on the road and away from home, we always have each other to count on. There is an unwritten understanding among Flight Attendants about the aspects of our jobs that no one else could ever understand. This understanding is central to the unique bond between us that can never be broken, in large part, because we care, respect and nurture it.

As we look forward to the new year, we anticipate exciting opportunities ahead. New hire Flight Attendants, an anticipated return of International flying and improvements through Contract Negotiations just to name a few. Given all we’ve accomplished together, we can be sure of this; working together we can accomplish anything.

We join the Members of the United Master Executive Council and the many AFA volunteers in wishing you and yours a happy, healthy and safe New Year.

In Solidarity,

Ken, Adam, Jeff