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The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) has announced its support for Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's initiative to include pilots and flight attendants in the state's Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) protections.
According to ALPA, the Minnesota ESST law initially excluded flight crews when it was enacted in 2023, prompting advocacy efforts from labor organizations. The association partnered with the Minnesota AFL-CIO and local lawmakers to address this exemption, arguing that flight crew members should receive equal labor protections as other workers. The successful legislative effort now ensures that pilots and flight attendants can accrue and use leave under the ESST law like other Minnesotans.
As reported by the Minnesota House of Representatives’ Session Daily, Representative Kaela Berg sponsored House File 3882, a bill aimed at extending ESST coverage to aviation workers. Berg, herself a flight attendant and a member of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, played a key role in advancing the legislation. The bill passed through the House Labor and Industry Finance and Policy Committee, emphasizing equitable sick leave access for flight crews working in-state but often crossing jurisdictional lines.
