Dallas (1080 KRLD) - The union representing Southwest Airlines flight attendants has a message for the airline:
"No way, SWA."
"Our flight attendants have reached a new level of feeling extremely frustrated with the constant rescheduling, hotel accommodation issues, transportation issues," says Lyn Montgomery, President of the Transport Workers Union Local 556.
The union sent a letter to Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly, outlining their frustrations with working conditions.
"Being told to come to work when it's not their day to work, for getting home late, for not working the trip that they expected to work. They are fed up," says Montgomery.
Montgomery says schedule changes can come at any time.
"That can happen throughout a flight attendant schedule from before they check in until the very last minute that they're supposed to be going home, they can be given another assignment, another overnight, another day to come back and work the next day," Montgomery says.
And those scheduling changes are forcing flight attendants to be away from their families.
"There's that day that you expect it to be off to take your child to school, or to be there for your children, or to take care of an elderly parent," says Montgomery; "and you can't, because you suddenly been told you have to go to work."
The letter outlined five steps it wants the airline to take immediately, including ending the use of emergency sick call procedures.
"Flight attendants that call in sick are required to see a company doctor -- not their own physician, but a company doctor -- to verify illness, says Montgomery, who calls the practice unacceptable during a pandemic.
Montgomery says the flight attendants have given so much during the pandemic and have nothing more to give.
"We pride ourselves in offering great customer service," Montgomery says. "We love our customers, but we can't continue to offer the best customer service under these conditions, and we need it to change today."
KRLD has reached out to Southwest Airlines for a reaction and is waiting to hear back.
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