Flight attendants hand out refreshments to a packed Delta Airlines flight touring from Ronald Regan National Airport to MinneapolisSaint Paul International Airport on Friday, May 21, 2021.
Kent Nishimura | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images
Delta Air Lines despatched the nation’s largest flight attendant union a cease-and-desist letter after its president criticized the corporate’s shortened sick leave coverage for employees with Covid-19.
Last Thursday, Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, tweeted that the union was getting “multiple reports” that Delta “is telling workers across work groups that they should come to work w/ symptoms even if someone in the household tested positive.” She additionally mentioned that optimistic staff had been informed to “come to work after 5 days if the fever is below 100.9, even if still testing positive.”
A day later, Peter Carter, Delta’s chief authorized officer despatched AFA the letter.
“Not only is this information false, but it is actionable because it places Delta in a highly negative light by suggesting Delta was asking employees to work while they were ill,” mentioned Carter’s letter. “Such irresponsible conduct is inappropriate, defamatory and must cease immediately.”
Nelson, whose union does not symbolize Delta’s flight attendants however started an organizing drive there in November 2019, defended her feedback and mentioned Delta’s insurance policies have confused flight crews.
“Delta’s policy now refers to being asymptomatic before returning to work, which was a serious concern as that CDC guidance was initially omitted from Delta’s policy announcement,” she wrote to Delta CEO Ed Bastian on Tuesday. “But we are still getting questions from Delta flight attendants about returning to work with a low grade fever and about the fact that Delta’s current policy only recommends to test before returning to work and does not require a test.”
Delta up to date its Covid sick leave coverage on Dec. 28 to 5 days off with pay safety — lowered from 10 days — that does not require employees to make use of days of their sick banks. Staff can get an extra two days in the event that they check optimistic once more on the fifth day.
“Delta has always followed the science to form our policies regarding COVID-19,” a Delta spokesman mentioned Tuesday. “We sent a cease and desist letter because we believe institutions and leaders must speak carefully, truthfully, and factually.”
The provider had requested the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to halve its really helpful isolation time for breakthrough Covid infections to 5 days, warning about employees shortages and flight cancellations, which later materialized. JetBlue Airways and different carriers requested for a similar change. CDC had up to date its steerage on Dec. 27, after loosening suggestions for well being care staff.
Cancellations from employees out sick from Covid and a sequence of winter storms surpassed 20,000 between Christmas and the primary week of the 12 months. United Airlines, which nonetheless has 10 days of pay safety in place for crews with Covid, mentioned Tuesday that it will additional trim its schedule, with 3,000 staff, about 4% of its U.S. employees, optimistic for the coronavirus.
Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines give staff 10 days of pay safety in the event that they check optimistic for Covid.
