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AFA-CWA
Disaster Relief
How to Help |
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| WORKING TOGETHER |
AFA Membership in Action
During the August 1 broadcast of Squawk on the Street, a CNBC market news report, commentator David Faber made an off-the-cuff, disparaging remark about flight attendants during a segment regarding US Airways' decision to start charging for in-flight beverages. Mr. Faber's remark was heard by numerous AFA-CWA flight attendants and before long, US Airways leaders were flooded with phone calls. Quickly, the MEC rallied its membership by sending out an e-line with a link to the segment and Mr. Faber's email address. After hundreds of angry emails, Mr. Faber apologized to flight attendants and invited USA MEC President Mike Flores onto the program to describe first-hand how recent management decisions impact the work group. This strong outpouring of support is an excellent example of what we can achieve when we work together as a unified group.
AFA-CWA Press Release: US Airways Executives Receive Millions In Stock As Passengers Are Nickel and Dimed 8/20/2008
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| FMLA FAIRNESS |
 FMLA Crunch Time
AFA-CWA's FMLA legislation passed the House of Representatives 402-9 and is now in the Senate here it has proved much harder to bring to a vote. The Department of Labor, the Air Transport Association and several carriers have joined forces to block its passage. Please call our targeted offices which include any Senators not yet on the bill. (click here to view FMLA cosponsor list)
Don't let this victory slip through our hands! We need to flood Senate offices with phone calls from their constituents. Every Senate office, whether a cosponsor or not, must be made aware that flight attendants are demanding passage of this legislation. More Information>>
Related Press Release: Flight Attendants One Step Closer To FMLA Coverage 5/20/08
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| DELTA/NORTHWEST MERGER |
AFA-CWA Testifies to Congress on Impact of Delta-Northwest Merger on Flight Attendants
On July 30, AFA-CWA International President Pat Friend explained to a Subcommittee of the House Education and Labor Committee that the proposed merger of Northwest and Delta Airlines will have a major impact on the Northwest and Delta flight attendants who were the focus of the hearing. "This merger seriously jeopardizes the collective bargaining rights of all the Northwest employees who have fought for and won the legal right to have union representation," Pat testified. She cited Delta management’s campaign to suppress voting in the recent union representation election, the lack of protections for airline workers in this merger, other than those negotiated in union contracts, and the interference charges AFA-CWA has filed with the National Mediation Board.  To learn more, click here to read Pat Friend's Testimony | More Info and Full Hearing Video
Related: Delta-Northwest Merger section on afanet.org
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| AIRCRAFT AIR QUALITY |
AFA-CWA Secures Significant Upgrade to Air Quality Standards
AFA-CWA has been fighting for improved aircraft air quality standards for decades, against airlines’ and manufacturers’ interest in keeping air quality unregulated and as weak as possible. AFA-CWA has been steadfast and influential in an industry standard-setting process overseen by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). While ASHRAE cannot create or enforce regulations, it is the standards established under their purview that regulators use as a primary reference and which airlines adhere to as standard practice. Working with local AFA-CWA Air Safety, Health and Security Committees, we will promote the adoption of these improved standards at each AFA-CWA-represented carrier.
After 13 years of hard-fought debates, the ASHRAE “Air Quality Within Commercial Aircraft” standard was finally published earlier this year. It is the first-ever consensus standard on aircraft air quality and includes cabin temperature limits, measures to address the problems of air supply contamination and pesticides, and a mechanism for complaints to be heard and addressed. AFA-CWA will stay involved in a “continuous maintenance” role to maintain and expand our wins.
Here are some of the highlights of the standard. It states that: cabin temperature should be between 65-75°F and shall not exceed 80°F; repeated air quality complaints require the airline to meet ventilation requirements; sensors must be installed in the air supply system to monitor for chemicals indicative of oil or hydraulic fluid contamination and records of reported contamination must be made available to crewmembers to assist their physicians in diagnosis and treatment; airlines must take measures to prevent and remedy exposure to airborne chemicals that may be found in deicing fluid, exhaust fumes, fuel, hydraulic fluid, oil, ozone, infectious agents, pesticides, lavatory fluids/odors, carry-on bags, and dry ice; and airlines shall pass the recirculated air through high-efficiency filters. The standard for pesticides is especially strong, requiring the cabin to be dry and odor-free before crewmembers board post-spraying and promoting the non-chemical means of disinsection that AFA supports.
While airlines are not required to adopt the ASHRAE standard, it is the result of a consensus process that includes airline management and there are some strong incentives for them to voluntarily do so. First, the standard represents the best current consensus and has the stamp of approval of the expert body within ASHRAE that includes Boeing, Airbus, Honeywell, as well as airlines, crewmember unions, passenger representatives, and others. In addition, there is a chance that Congress or the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), under a new administration, would push for its inception as a regulatory mandate. At the very least, the ASHRAE standard provides free advice to the airlines on how to improve cabin conditions in a reasonable and effective manner.
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| ALOHA AIRLINES FLIGHT ATTENDANTS |
Information for Aloha and ATA Airlines Flight Attendants  
ShareAloha is a community of friends and family offering help and support for the Aloha Airlines Family during this difficult season of transition. http://sharealoha.wordpress.com
EAP - AFA-CWA Employee Assistance Program has many resources available, including links to unemployment resources and surviving a layoff.
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| CREWMEMBER SELF DEFENSE TRAINING |
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The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in partnership with American Association of Community colleges (AACC) is conducting trainings. For dates, locations and Points of Contacts (POCs) for 2008, for the "Crew Member Self-Defense Training (CMSDT)" Program, click here..
TSA Web Site with updated trainings - click here
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| AFA ENEWS AND AOL |
 Have you signed up for AFA E-Activist and E-News and are not receiving it? Have you been unintentionally unsubscribed? AOL's aggressive mail controls may be blocking our messages. Many are returned to us with the following: "This member is not accepting messages from this sender" Click here to learn more about how you can make changes to ensure you receive our E-Newsletter. |
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