AFA Out to Lunch

AFA Out to Lunch

The amazing rescue and survival of 155 passengers aboard US Airways flight 1549 was due in part to three flight attendant heroes Donna Dent, Doreen Welsh and Sheila Dail. Let us never forget their bravery or the fact that US Airways flight attendants performed their feat working under a contract that was slashed, under the representation of AFA, in 2004...which was later used by NWA management as a comparison to decimate ours. Maybe that's why NWA AFA-CWA has not lauded the heroism displayed last week or maybe it's because they are too busy delaying our right to vote.

Representation…

As you know, the NMB declared that NWA and DAL are operating as a "single transportation system." This is a trigger for unions to file for representation. Four unions that represent the pilots, the meteorologists , dispatchers and mechanics have filed requests with the NMB to “settle disputes,” which means to formally file for representation. The NMB rejected DAL’s request for dispute settlement for IAM and AFA, the two unions who have filed lawsuits against DAL.

Of whom?

Two days following the news, AFA sent out a flyer saying that they were pleased that we have control over our vote:

**Who is the “we” that they are referring to? The majority of flight attendants want the representational election to move forward. They want the transition to move smoothly and quickly and they want seniority integrated to increase our flexibility and flying opportunities.

**Is the “we” the same people at AFA who continue to get bloated salaries while WE continue to suffer under the contract that they negotiated and forced down our throats?

On whose timeline?

Why is AFA stalling? Why don’t they want us to get the increases ALPA got? Is AFA prepared for the NMB to move forward? If AFA is prepared, then what is the reason for delay? They have not communicated one tangible benefit for the NWA or the DAL flight attendants by delaying the vote. The only obvious benefit is to the AFA coffers.

With whom?

DAL says there is one voice speaking for DAL and NWA. Isn’t it time that we have one voice? While ALPA moves forward we are left with a union with no strategy . Or is AFA’s ‘strategy’ to keep us under this abhorrent contract as long as possible, even as other employee groups receive substantial raises? Kevin Griffin has admitted that he “can’t make it” on his AFA salary of $50,000 and $18,000 in per diem. He has been trying to get his salary raised. When is he going to try to get OUR salaries raised?

Months since our contract was demolished: 19

Months since NWA pilots started pay increases with DAL: 3

Or is it mis-representation?

And speaking of which, AFA finally addressed side letter 35. Since AFA gave us no contract training – even though the negotiators who signed the contract are STILL on the payroll – please be aware that the side letter is a “me too” clause negotiated in 2006 by PFAA and misunderstood in 2007 and 2008 by AFA because AFA is too stubborn and mean-spirited to work with former negotiators who negotiated and understand the side letter. And worst of all, the AFA attorneys – who have had a difficult time winning arbitrations, or even showing up for work – are now trying to combine the two pilot raises (July 2007 and November 2008) into one grievance, even though there are two separate and distinct issues involved. BRACE FOR IMPACT as another AFA failed tactic blows up in our collective faces.

Without you…

Again, AFA refuses to work with fellow union members. Why does it appear that AFA who won’t work with ALPA or its own members is union busting? Everything AFA has done, from Pat’s secret Steenland meetings to Kevin Griffin’s failure to keep us informed, to the shady TA 3 vote reeks of AFA’s willingness to sell out the membership to serve its own incompetent self-interests. How far is too far for AFA? Will they trade our Scope language to stay on the property? How about our LPP’s? Remember, it was AFA’s lead attorney who claimed that NWA’s outsourcing attempt was only a ‘stalking horse’ meant to distract the negotiators at the former union. It took the collective strength of the Northwest flight attendants to save Scope last time, but then they had a union that supported them – not one that continued to meet with the company behind closed doors, or kept pulling the rug out from under us.

Or your families…

This is not about union politics, it is about you and me missing out on equity, an 18% pay increase and not being able to move forward as our fellow union members (ALPA) are…and they didn’t even have an 80% TA “no” vote. Why does AFA continue to waste our collective power?

What can we do?

AFA’s recent hotline declares EIT (employee involvement teams) are union busting tactics, yet they, our own union, continue to have no clue what we want and don’t bother asking us. When we dare to speak up, they ignore our voices altogether. Aren’t you getting tired of being told what you want? Aren’t you getting tired of blame, negativism and ridiculous excuses?

But you do not need me to tell you they are not carrying your and my voice forward.

See the union’s hotline from Jan. 2nd. Does it bother you at all that AFA is negotiating split lines and satellite bases and tells us “As more information comes available about these items, it will be announced to all members.”

Did you even know negotiations were continuing?

Were you asked what you wanted?

Why do we have to wait until they are over to know what’s being discussed?

What other negotiations are unfolding that we do not know about?

Talk is cheap, Kevin Griffin – but your salary and $1,500 in monthly member paid meals is not. It’s time you started communicating with the members about what is going on. Who is still on the payroll negotiating these items? The members have a right to know. Are you still paying Lovey Offerle and James Yung and Bruce Retrum their excessive “negotiations” salaries, even though they refuse to respond to the MEC regarding grievances over PBS and scheduling fiascos? Is it true that we can’t put Lovey on the stand at arbitration because she would end up supporting the company’s position? Is it true, Kevin that an arbitrator once told you that your testimony in arbitration actually HURT the union’s case? Remind us again, why we’re paying you a $50,000 annual salary and $18,000 a year in per diem. Why haven’t you surveyed the flight attendants about the issues that are important to us? Why are individual flight attendants putting together questions about the Delta policy manual for Joanne and Julie? This is the work that paid union staffers like you and the MEC should be doing. Do you even know what questions to ask, Kevin? If so, why did you sit frozen, like a deer caught in headlights at a town hall meeting and fail to ask even a single significant question of Joanne and Julie? Isn’t it time you started putting out the work that you are paid for and stopped asking for volunteers to cover for you, while you pay yourself excessive per diem and self-approved bonuses of thousands of dollars?

Take Back Our Power! DEMAND YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE!

It’s obvious that AFA does not care about us and it’s time for us to speak up. If we vote for AFA at the combined airline, we can never get rid of them, due to the AFL-CIO non-compete clause that prevents AFL-CIO unions from raiding each other. Pat Friend used this clause to file charges against TWU for trying to help us against NWA management in 2006. She – and AFA – will stop at nothing to keep the millions of dollars rolling into the AFA treasury.

Email the following and simply request your right to vote!

CWA President: Larry Cohen ~ lcohen@cwa-union.org

NMB Board Members
Read Van de Water, Chairman ~ vandewater@nmb.gov
Elizabeth Dougherty, Member ~ dougherty@nmb.gov
Harry R. Hoglander, Member ~ hoglander@nmb.gov

Let me know your thoughts and ideas and I will report back to you via the BLOG: Jose Arturo Ibarra ~ prinet@rock.com

Sincerely,

Jose Arturo Ibarra