However, it seems that her new gig doesn’t suit everyone. The Association of Professional Flight Attendants is urging Kidman to cut ties with the brand!
According to APFA, Etihad fires women for being pregnant and its flight attendants are subjected to bad living arrangements, which shouldn’t be a thing that a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for women (which Kidman is) endorses. APFA stated:
“We urge you, on behalf of the women and girls that you spoke of so eloquently on International Women’s Day, not to play a part in promoting Etihad Airways, a company that imposes abusive labor practices on its female employees and whose sole owner is a government that stands against the very world that you imagine.”
Laura Glading, Union President, asked the Oscar-awarded actress to join with the group’s 19,000 female employees in standing up for what’s right: “Etihad’s alleged practices are the types of conditions that APFA fought to eradicate decades ago in the United States.”
Etihad responded to the allegations, issuing out a statement which read: “We strive to attract the top talent in the industry and it’s working. Last year, we were inundated with requests from people for the opportunities Etihad Airways offers – with more than 260,000 who applied to join the airline from all over the world.”
Their representative also denied that pregnant women were dismissed from their jobs, and said that crew safety is of most importance.
However, it seems that the Union members also have some issues among themselves (mostly targeted at their President). A group of American Airlines attendants has spoken out in support of the actress after their union president slammed her.
The group personally apologized to Kidman and said that APFA’s attack on her was a part of a personal political agenda: “Her attack on you is aimed solely at opening doors in Washington and has little to do with the rights of flight attendants employed by foreign carriers.”
Kidman hasn’t commented on the situation yet.
