From: www.unitedafa.org

We have received reports that there may be confusion on the staffing of the non Premium Service (PS) 757 aircraft. 

Page 4.30.1 of the Flight Attendant Operations Manual dictate that staffing for flights in the North American market, except for Premium Service, are staffed at 2 Flight Attendants to work the First Class cabin and 2 Flight Attendants work in the Economy cabin. 

Keep in mind that United staffing guidelines also note that “a Flight Attendant assigned to a particular cabin may be required to perform duties in other cabin(s) on a given flight,” the primary responsibilities of that Flight Attendant are in the cabin they are assigned to work. It is not appropriate for Flight Attendants to choose to change the staffing positions on the 757 to put a third Flight Attendant in the Economy cabin for the entire service in an attempt to ease the work load of their flying partners. 

While it is noble to want to help each other in such a case, it can provide a disservice to the passengers in First Class. If you find that two Flight Attendants do not have sufficient time to complete the service in Economy under existing United staffing guidelines, then you should make every attempt to complete the service to the best of your ability in a safe manner during the allotted time, and report the inability to finish the service upon completion of your ID. AFA has long stated our objection to United reducing staffing on the 757 aircraft believing it to compromise safety and service; however United feels current staffing guidelines are adequate to the needs of the passengers in Economy. United has made quite clear that the 757 Economy service is being completed by two Flight Attendants satisfactorily; and will not increase staffing levels in this cabin so long as this remains the case.

Remember also that choosing which jumpseat to occupy and what cabin you wish to work in on any given flight are both determined by seniority; and are not governed by the suggestions on the United briefing sheet.