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The remarkable Edith Lauterbach (1921-2013) helped establish, what is now known as, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which now represents nearly 60,000 flight attendants at 19 airlines. Lauterbach began working for United Air Lines in 1944. She noticed the flight attendants, mostly women, had not received a pay increase from 1930 to 1946. To amend this issue, she and four fellow flight attendants officially established the Air Line Stewardess Association (ALSA) in 1945 and recruited 75% of United Air Lines' flight attendants. Though they were careful to call it an association, the ALSA was the first union established by women, led by women, and to represent primarily women. Few labor unions at the time even had female members. After months of negotiations, in 1946, the flight attendants successfully negotiated a raise in monthly pay, set rest periods and limits on duty hours, and established a grievance policy. AFA-CWA continues to be the voice for flight attendants. photograph: United Air Lines, Edith Lauterbach; 1953 Gift of Edith Lauterbach 2006.028.167.001 https://ow.ly/g6sT50QRPGA
This image was posted on March 12, 2024.