Current Media Releases

For Immediate Release: March 13, 2009
Contact: Corey Caldwell 202-434-0586

Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Applauds National Mediation Board Appointment

AFA-CWA Urges U.S. Senate To Confirm Nomination

Washington, DC - The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) congratulated the Obama Administration today for their appointment of Linda Puchala to the National Mediation Board (NMB). When confirmed, Puchala will replace a current board member who was a hold-over appointment from the Bush Administration since July 2006.

"We are very pleased with White House's choice and believe Linda's consensus-building skills and commitment to the collective bargaining process will be a valuable addition to the agency which is so critical to labor relations in the aviation and railway industries," stated Patricia Friend, AFA-CWA International President. "There are difficult issues in front of us in both industries so we urge the Senate to move promptly to confirm Ms. Puchala so that we can look to a Board
functioning in every respect for guidance and assistance."

The National Mediation Board is the federal agency charged with overseeing collective bargaining and representation under the Railway Labor Act, which was enacted to protect workers' rights to organize unions and engage in free and fair collective bargaining in the aviation and rail industries. The NMB consists of three members appointed by the President of the United States, two of whom are appointed from the party of the President. Over the past eight years, the NMB has repeatedly failed to fulfill its mission to promote collective bargaining and to provide and protect the rights of workers who seek to join a union. Recognizing this failure, earlier this year Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), joined by 80 Congressional leaders, sent a request to the White House seeking a swift appointment of a fair-minded replacement to this federal agency so important to our transportation systems.

"Linda Puchala's experience within the agency will ensure a smooth transition to a new Board. Her commitment to workers' rights and to the collective bargaining process will help to restore the integrity of this vital federal agency. For years, the NMB has operated under arcane and unreasonable rules that make it difficult for workers to organize. We look forward to working with Ms. Puchala to ensure that the National Mediation Board adheres to its mission of protecting employees' right to organize without interference or influence from the employers and their multi-million dollar antiworker campaigns."

Puchala is currently a senior mediator with the National Mediation Board and oversees the Alternate Dispute Resolution program for the Board. Since joining the NMB, she has worked with employees and employers in both the airline and rail industries. She has over 30 years experience in labor relations which includes serving as the President of the Association of Flight Attendants from 1979 to 1986.

For over 60 years, the Association of Flight Attendants has been serving as the voice for flight attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill. More than 50,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines come together to form AFA-CWA, the world's largest flight attendant union. AFA is part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afanet.org .