More Flee Sinking AFA Titanic
With stunning candor and alarming revelations, many of AFA’s most ardent (and vocal) former advocates are dropping AFA like the hot nasty mess that it is and running as fast and far as they can from the organization. Key campaign people, former LEC and MEC officers, even candidates for AFA international offices are coming out of the closet and confirming all of the incompetence and corruption inherent in AFA.
It is now confirmed – as I have documented consistently, irrefutably and conclusively through 92 blog posts since 2006 – that the early AFA whistle-blowers were not only correct, but brave and honorable in disclosing the crimes against flight attendants that AFA was committing on a daily basis. They acted in the best interests of our group despite knowing they would be subjected to the very bitter and very nasty, personal attacks by the AFA political slime machine and its band of willing thugs.
And while we should applaud these latecomers for finally stepping forward, we also must wonder why they didn’t do so earlier. Why did they remain silent about AFA’s atrocities for so long? Was it to protect their position or power or salary? Were they afraid of reprisal or retribution? Was there some unannounced change to the AFA Constitution that suddenly drove them away? Or were they truly ignorant about the blatant ineptitude of the organization they were trying to impose upon us?
For those of you based in New York, you’ve probably met (or at least heard of) Shriver Lennox – the United Airlines flight attendant and lead AFA activist who for more than two years was paid to shove AFA down the throats of NWA/Delta flight attendants. Shriver was eventually booted off the New York Delta campaign at the behest of campaigner (and perennial doom and gloomer) Angela Winningham, who didn’t appreciate being told that she was spending too much of the member’s dues money on beer, pizza and other treats for herself and her friends at the member-funded crash pad and “bistro” she was running.
Now that the representational campaign has collapsed in complete failure, Shriver has posted (on Facebook) some different opinions about AFA – opinions so different that the following questions are begging to be asked:
• What was it that Shriver knew about AFA before and during the campaign?
• Why didn’t she tell us that truth?
• And, why is she giving AFA the finger now?
In her Facebook post, Shriver says:
“I have made the decision to pull my support from AFA-CWA. Suffices to say, it was not any singular event or incident, but a series of events that have lead me to make this difficult decision. I'm sure many of you will have questions concerning this decision and I ask that you contact me personally so we can discuss it together. Suffices to say, I can no longer remain supportive of a union where all too often the top leaders choose politics and what is best for themselves versus what is best for the membership. If I were to continue to stand by and simply watch it happen - I would end up a person that I no longer wanted to be.
To all my amazing NWA FA friends: I am so sorry if this impacts your ongoing fight to remain union members. Those of you that know me- know how difficult this is and how much I care about you and your struggle. You will succeed- stay the right course.”
Well Shriver, why didn’t you dump this stinky little time bomb on us earlier (like 2 years ago), or were you waiting for the Delta flight attendants to experience this horrendous AFA truth first hand, perhaps after years of fruitless contract negotiations (like the ongoing AFA negotiations disaster at USAirways/America West)?
Shiver, how did you react when so many other former AFA officials spoke the truth, only to be smeared by former AFA International President Pat Friend, who disgraced herself and the union in the following despicable rant shortly after SFO LEC President Kate Day issued a scathing resignation letter exposing the AFA culture of corruption?:
“ … my recommendation is hit her back hard. You don’t need facts – she didn’t use them – tar her with any brush of allegations and innuendoes you choose to use. If you worry about what can be proved, you will lose the battle to her.”
Some more of Shriver’s thoughts on AFA are listed at the end of this email.
Following Shriver’s Facebook confession, former NWA AFA MEC president Kevin Griffin (who resigned from office in the nick of time to avoid being ousted by a lack of confidence vote), chimed in with the following:
“Shriver, you have made the right decision. AFA has not stayed the course and represented flight attendants in a truly democratic manner. Pat Friend has all but signed the demise of AFA. As (APFA President) Tommie Hutto Blake once said during one of our summits- APFA was the "Truly Democratic Union".
I left AFA for health reasons (high blood pressure) but much of it was due to a disfunctional self serving organization with little resources and political backstabbing. We were a Barney Fife office with little dues at the majority of locals and most going to the International or their (MEM LEC President Shawn) Fivecoat favorites. The Northwest Flight Attendants would be better served by a union such as TWU. The structure of AFA- I tried to change with amendmebnts to the Constitution but could not due to the old guard. I still believe we need a voice and hopefully AFA will wake up and listen to the members for the airlines they still have. “
Sadly, Kevin never spoke up about the evils of the AFA empire when he was a willing co-conspirator, treating himself to thousands of dollars in unauthorized “bonus” payments and $1,500.00 per month in per diem, unbeknownst to the members or to the MEC. We might all be in a better place today if he had.
Not to be left out, Dianne Tamuk UAL flight attendant and former AFA LEC
President and International Vice President candidate, responded with the following comparison of AFA and IAM resources:
“The (IAM) Research Department was staffed with economists and pension experts - far more comprehensive resources than AFA offers. I also found that the cross-utilization of these experts across workgoups to be an extremely valuable asset for negotiations support. As far as legal support, well....for any of us who sat on the MEC throughout the bankruptcy and attended the court sessions, the IAM legal team was without question the best and the brightest. Even the most ardent AFA loyalist will admit that. And there is no dispute among the unions at UA that the IAM fared far better in BK negotiations than any other group. We all recognize that the IAM represents a smaller number of flight attendants than AFA does presently. But if the IAM wins representation at UA, they will then represent more flight attendants than any other union - single craft or otherwise. We have been told that the IAM will guarantee the flight attendants their own District Lodge - and we will then have our own representing our own with the ability to channel all District Lodge resources to exclusively support flight attendant issues. The importance and opportunity that exists there should not be underestimated.”
AFA/USAirways Flight Attendant Contract Negotiations Collapse in Failure
More than five years after USAirways and America West – both AFA carriers – merged, AFA’s bungled attempts to negotiate a single flight attendant agreement have screeched to a halt. That’s right, the same AFA that brayed and boasted it would negotiate an industry-leading contract for the Delta flight attendants in six months hasn’t been able to reach a combined agreement for their USAirways/America West members despite already representing both flight attendant groups.
In a despair-filled surrender to its USAirways/America West flight attendants, AFA conceded the following:
Due to the fact the merged contract negotiations have taken four years and, as you will read below, are, at a crossroad, The Master Executive Council (MEC) and the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) are taking advantage of our contractual right to begin separate East contract negotiations in 2011. Pursuant to Section 32 of the East Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Union has notified the Company of our intent. While we hoped that negotiation of a single agreement would bring positive results, we are outraged with the company’s recent compensation proposal and bargaining position. The company refuses to recognize the needs of our members during merged contract negotiations.
So, exactly how would separate agreements benefit what should be a single flight attendant group, and more troubling, what sort of AFA decision making process dreamed up this latest lunacy? Clearly, after more than four years, AFA didn’t have a “Plan B,” or any contingency plans whatsoever should they fail at the bargaining table. That and nothing more from the juggernaut that was going to negotiate a merged Delta flight attendant agreement in six months or less (at least that’s what they told us publically). This all but begs the question –does AFA employ any strategy besides the all-too-familiar smoke, mirrors and hot air we were sold during the recent campaign? Think about it … think about it.
Meanwhile, Success for the IAM and Continental Flight Attendants
After a couple of months of contact negotiations (following the curious and baffling rejection of a previously reached industry-leading agreement), the IAM has again set the standard and achieved yet another contract victory for its Continental flight attendants.
“As you are doubtlessly aware, United and Continental Airlines are merging to form the world’s largest airlines), and unlike AFA during our NWA/Delta merger, the IAM has negotiated a temporary agreement to protect its Continental members’ scope and industry leading pay as the UAL combination continues.
A victory for unionism and for the Continental flight attendants – a victory that can be shared by the UAL flight attendants soon once a representational election between the IAM and the AFA is announced, ran and finalized … no doubt in the IAM’s favor. Afterall, isn’t the choice obvious? “ ~ Shriver Lennox
Yes Shriver, the choice is obvious – and it’s not AFA.
As always, please copy and print this email and share with our fellow crewmembers. The truth is getting out – and knowledge is power. Also, I urge you to share this with any United or Continental flight attendants you know. Let’s not let them make the same mistake we’ve been paying for since 2006.
NO to AFA = NO MORE FAILURE!
Some more quotes about AFA from former AFA Officer and Organizer Shriver Lennox:
Yes Shriver we agree, since 2006!
The choice is obvious – and it’s not AFA.
