Activist
Gailen David was a proud union member during his 24 year career with American Airlines, but he never thought his career would lead to his next chapter as a vocal labor activist.
In 2011, American Airlines announced it was declaring bankruptcy. Immediately, American’s management issued memos to employees outlining the draconian cuts in pay and work rules that would take place. The bankruptcy filing came after years of labor concessions while executives received lavish bonuses and stock options.
The injustice moved Gailen to speak out and use the company’s own words to demonstrate to the public how destructive corporate greed had become at one of the nation’s leading airlines.
The “Aluminum Lady” series was created by Gailen as a way to support economic justice for workers.