As Flight Attendants, our career is protected by the provisions within our Contract. Flight Attendants who came before us worked to secure this profession for all of us. Over time, they negotiated Contractual improvements that defined the working role of a United Flight Attendant.
While Scope, or the language of our specific Contractual Scope, may not be familiar to some of us, it’s important that we be informed of this cornerstone of our Contract that protects us, and also the Scope of other work groups at our airline.
Our company consists of many different roles that operate under separate job functionalities. For example, Customer Service agents scan boarding passes and assist passengers before getting on the aircraft, Mechanics fix and maintain our aircraft, and as Flight Attendants, we perform safety-related duties, including adhering to Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) such as closing the overhead bins before boarding door closure.
While we can and should appreciate the effort of “working together,” Scope prevents work from being assigned to other employees for a good reason. Being mindful of the Scope of different work groups will ensure the job duties traditionally performed by Flight Attendants continue to be done by Flight Attendants. We must protect our future by respecting not only our scope but also avoiding unintended interfering with others' work-related responsibilities.
To review more information on scope, please visit our website or contact your Local council.