Dozens of flight attendants for Sun Country Airlines on Wednesday picketed outside Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to protest the labor contract they’ve worked under for a decade.

Teamsters Local 120, which represents more than 600 of the Twin Cities-based carrier’s flight attendants, began bargaining with Sun Country in December 2019 but was halted when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Many Sun Country flight attendants like Tanya DeVito, one of the union’s stewards, took a voluntary 9-month leave to protect the company’s finances.

Bargaining resumed in October 2021. Since then, the only progress toward a new contract has been an agreement proposal from the company last year that 96% of union members rejected, and a federal mediation meeting in December.

“The flight attendants are fired up, they’re coming out,” DeVito said. “They’re going to show the world that they mean business, that we are unified.”

As snow dusted picket signs outside Terminal 2, picketers could see their breath as they chanted, “Time’s up, pay up.” While some wore winter gear, others were dressed in their work uniforms. Some still had their luggage from joining the protest immediately after landing at the airport.

Despite years of frustration over long hours and low wages, flight attendants smiled and hugged one another as they joined the picket line, their third such picket since beginning negotiations. Six police officers watched from either side of the picket line.

“We appreciate everything our flight attendants do for our passengers and our company every day,” Sun Country officials said in a statement. “We respect their right to conduct an informational picket. Sun Country is committed to working collaboratively with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 120 under the auspices of the National Mediation Board to reach an agreement that our more than 600 flight attendants will be proud to support and that supports the airline’s continued growth.”

Sun Country struck a deal with Amazon in 2019 to carry cargo for the delivery giant. As a result, company revenue soared to record highs, totaling nearly $300 million in its first quarter last year. It was a nine percent jump from the previous year, according to the company. However, entry-level wages for flight attendants at Sun Country continue to stay at $21.53 an hour, compared to the $27 industry average.

The airline’s initial public offering in early 2021, meanwhile, added over $218 million to its coffers, despite its early expectation to pull in just about $100 million.

“[Sun Country] has always said, ‘we don’t have the money now; we’ll take care of you next contract,’” said Cheryl Adamson, another steward and negotiator for Teamsters 120. “Now they have the money, they need to show us the money. Bring us up to industry standard.”

“We’re tired.”

In addition to better wages, flight attendants are fighting for better work rules to determine when Sun Country pays its flight attendants and how long they can be required to work.

After a passenger went into cardiac arrest while boarding a Sun Country flight two years ago, Adamson administered CPR in the plane’s rear to keep the person breathing. Due to the company’s work policies, Adamson saved a person’s life while not being paid for her work.

Every time a flight attendant has greeted or thanked you for flying with them, the flight attendant was technically off the clock. Instead of earning an hourly wage, flight attendants are only paid from the time the plane door closes to the time it opens again, something that has been a longstanding industry norm, chief negotiator Elaine Rishovd said.

Additionally, most airlines may require flight attendants to work 14 consecutive hours, even if they are only paid for the duration of the flight. Sun Country’s current labor agreement may require flight attendants to work up to 20 hours domestically and 22 hours internationally.

“Our CEO keeps saying we need to have a work-life balance, but he doesn’t give it to us,” Rishovd said.

The combination of low wages and poor regulations has had consequences for employees, some of whom must be in the air for more than 100 hours a month in order to make ends meet, according to Rishovd.

Despite the lack of pay, flight attendants’ smiles and care for passengers remain genuine and an accepted part of the job, according to flight attendant and negotiator LaNeia Huberty.

“We need passengers, we like passengers. Even though we’re not getting paid, you’re still at work,” Huberty said. “We get frustrated because we know we’re not being paid and talk amongst each other, but we’re there for the passenger.”

From cleaning the plane, waiting during through flights, to ensuring water is running properly and smoke detectors are working, flight attendants’ work can be double the amount of time spent paid in the air.

Flight attendants for other airlines such as United are currently advocating for full pay from check-in to the end of the flight, Huberty said. Although that goal will likely remain a dream rather than reality, Sun Country flight attendants are fighting for at least partial pay for their unpaid time, similar to airlines such as Delta and Sky West offer.

The next remediation meeting between the two parties is scheduled for February. In the meantime, Huberty said the Sun Country’s continued stalling may not be costing them dollars, but it is costing them people who are passionate about their jobs.

“We like working here, we want to stay here,” Huberty said. “People are quitting, saying, ‘I don’t want to quit, but I can’t afford to stay here.’ They want to be here, they love it.”