#PettyNapkinPlacement: Why I Always Place Beverage Napkins Ad Down as a Flight Attendant ✈️
As a flight attendant, I have found myself in the midst of contract negotiations with management that have been dragging on for five long years. Despite the challenges we face, there is one small act of rebellion that brings me a sense of satisfaction – the petty napkin placement.
Why Petty Napkin Placement Matters 🍹
When serving drinks on the airplane, one side of the beverage napkin often contains an advertisement encouraging passengers to sign up for the airline’s high-interest credit card. As a form of silent protest against management’s stonewalling tactics, I always make sure to place the napkin ad down. This seemingly small act may not solve all of our problems, but it allows me to reclaim a sense of agency and control in a situation that often feels overwhelming.
Benefits of Petty Napkin Placement for Flight Attendants 🛫
1. Empowerment: Placing the napkin ad down allows flight attendants to reclaim a sense of agency in the face of challenging circumstances.
2. Sense of Control: By choosing how the napkin is placed, flight attendants can assert their own preferences and values in an otherwise rigidly controlled environment.
3. Subtle Rebellion: While seemingly insignificant, the act of placing the napkin ad down serves as a form of silent protest against management’s actions.
Impact of Petty Napkin Placement on Passengers 🧳
Interestingly, passengers may not always notice the placement of the napkin, but on some level, they may sense the subtle act of rebellion. This can create a shared moment of solidarity between flight attendants and passengers, as both parties navigate the ups and downs of air travel together.
Navigating Contract Negotiations in the Airline Industry 📋
The airline industry is known for its complex network of contracts and negotiations that impact everything from employee benefits to passenger experience. As flight attendants, we play a crucial role in ensuring the safety and comfort of our passengers, but we also face significant challenges in advocating for our own rights and interests. Contract negotiations are a common point of contention between labor and management in the airline industry, and the case of the petty napkin placement serves as a microcosm of the larger struggles that flight attendants face.
Strategies for Effective Contract Negotiations in the Airline Industry 💼
1. Solidarity: Building strong relationships with fellow flight attendants and other airline workers can create a sense of unity and strength in negotiating with management.
2. Communication: Clear and effective communication is key in conveying the concerns and needs of flight attendants to management during contract negotiations.
3. Persistence: Contract negotiations in the airline industry can be long and drawn-out, but persistence and determination are essential in advocating for fair treatment and compensation.
4. Creative Acts of Resistance: The petty napkin placement is just one example of how flight attendants can engage in creative acts of resistance to assert their values and challenge the status quo.
By navigating contract negotiations with a combination of professionalism and creativity, flight attendants can make their voices heard and drive positive change in the airline industry.
The Power of Small Acts of Resistance in the Airline Industry ✈️
While the petty napkin placement may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, it serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience and creativity of flight attendants in the face of adversity. By taking control of something as small as the placement of a beverage napkin, we can reclaim a sense of agency and empowerment in an industry that often feels overwhelming and impersonal. In this way, the petty napkin placement becomes a symbol of unity, resistance, and hope for a brighter future in the airline industry.
If you could just talk to an attendant from another
Airline to get some of their napkins and a job application. And work to the rule.
Brutal
Switch to Delta.
I looked up which airline and literally said “no!” out loud. I’m so fucking disappointed in them.
Perfectly petty
Settle down Satan.
Solidarity Brother. Our department negotiations start this year. So we feel you…
Contract Now! Baby.