AFA Questions and Answers

Why is management worried about you joining a union?

Management knows the power of organization; that’s why companies are well organized. Most employers belong to organizations and groups that fight for their interests, including Chambers of Commerce and transportation associations. Airlines pays dues to these organizations because they know that by working together, they can accomplish more; they know the results are worth the dues. They don’t want to see the same thing work for us. 

Why not? Management knows the gains that other employees have made by unionizing. Management would prefer that they decide where that money goes, without having to negotiate with workers. Despite all their efforts to dissuade us by discrediting AFA and other unions, management knows that having a union would be beneficial for us. Otherwise, they’d welcome unions with open arms. 

Management knows that with a union, they would have to take their employees seriously. Instead of just writing a memo to change our work rules or cut our pay, they would have to bargain with our negotiating committee. Instead of taking our interests for granted, they would have to worry if we’d vote to ratify their contract proposals. 

There’s a certain level of respect that comes with winning a seat at the bargaining table. Once we’re seated at the bargaining table, management would have to treat us with respect at all times, not just when it suits their needs. 

When you vote for AFA, can management take away the benefits or working conditions you have now?

No. Under the Railway Labor Act, benefits, working conditions and wages you have now cannot be arbitrarily taken away because you vote for AFA. It’s illegal for a company to retaliate against its employees for voting for a union. 

All benefits, wages and working conditions must be negotiated between your employer and AFA (a negotiating committee will be comprised of flight attendants from your airline and AFA’s professional negotiators). Keep in mind, negotiations do not start from scratch; they start from where you are today, with AFA proposing improvements that you want or need. If there’s something you have today that you want to keep, we’ll simply propose to write that into your contract. 

In negotiations, management will most likely propose changes from what you currently have that they’d like to see included in the contract. But before their proposals can become part of your contract, they would first have to get your negotiating committee to agree to it, and then they would have to convince you to ratify it.  

That’s the key difference – with a union and a legal process for contract negotiations, you have the right to decide what you want and what you’ll accept in a contract. Without union representation, management can change your pay, benefits and work rules whenever they want, and you have no legal recourse. 

Who makes decisions in AFA?

The members. AFA members decide on the ideas and priorities for their contracts through meetings and surveys. Flight attendants serve on their airline’s negotiating committee. They vote on their contract before it can go into effect. They elect their local officers who help to set the national agenda for the union. They participate, by getting involved with AFA committees, in everything from uniform issues to hotel selection, from safety and health training to lobbying Congress. 

If you vote to join AFA, can union leaders make you go on strike?

No. Only you and your coworkers can decide to strike. And you can only do that after exhausting all other options available under the Railway Labor Act (the law that governs the airline industry.) That’s one of the reasons strikes are so rare. Despite management’s efforts to focus your attention on strikes, almost all negotiations end successfully without a strike. 

Can’t I just sit down with management and try to work things out?

That’s really what contract negotiations are all about – representatives from management and from the flight attendants sitting down to work things out in a legally binding contract. Without a union, management is under no legal obligation to keep any of their promises. There is no guarantee that those promises or enhancements will not be broken or eliminated once the pressure from unionization is off. 

With a union, management is required by law to negotiate a contract with you. A contract is a legally binding document that spells out your wages, benefits and working conditions. Promises and ever-changing work rules are turned into guarantees you can count on with a contract. If management violates the contract, they are breaking the law. AFA can take legal action, if needed, to enforce it. Today, if management breaks a promise or violates one of its own rules, there is nothing legally you can do about it. 

Why do I need a union if the Labor Board or other government agencies will protect me?

State and federal laws guarantee Social Security, workers’ compensation, unemployment compensation, and protection from discrimination.

But without a union, you have very little protection. There is nothing to prevent management from changing your wages, benefits and working conditions at any time. Even seniority is not protected by law. Without a union, you are not protected from unjust firings (i.e., an unfair drug test, undocumented accusations, inaccurate passenger complaints). Even if current management is doing a better job than the last management team, there’s no way of knowing who will be next.  

Will AFA create hard feelings and make communication with management difficult?

AFA was founded by a determined group of United flight attendants nearly 60 years ago. Today, tens of thousands of U.S. flight attendants at dozens of airlines are union members. Historically, most employers develop respect for their organized workers that clears the way for better company relations.  

Once you join AFA, the job security that comes with having a contract makes for a better relationship based on mutual respect. Thousands of employers negotiate with unions. Over 80 percent of all flight attendants are union members. It’s a normal part of business in the airline industry, and virtually every employee who has a contract would tell you they would never want to work without one. 

What if the company refuses to negotiate?

Legally, they can’t refuse to negotiate with you. Management knows when a majority of employees vote in favor of a union, the law requires them to recognize and negotiate in good faith with the group’s negotiating committee. This is enforceable in federal court. 

During a union election, management may threaten that they will not negotiate with the incoming union, but afterwards, they will usually sit down and deal seriously with employees. 

What is a union security clause? Why is it important?

A union security clause is an important part of a contract. It means that all members of a workgroup who are represented by a particular union must either become dues-paying members of that union, or pay a fair share toward the cost of union representation and services as a condition of employment. Without this clause, an employer could try to replace union members with non-union employees, weakening the union. 

In return for the right to negotiate for all employees, the union is required by law to represent all employees. All negotiated improvements will apply to all employees. Everyone will benefit, for example, from a pay raise, so it is only fair to those who are paying dues that all other employees pay their fair share to support the union’s efforts. Because we live in a democracy where the majority rules, it makes sense that when the majority votes for the union in a secret ballot election, everyone should join. 

Keep in mind that a union security clause is not automatically contained in a contract; like everything else, it must be agreed upon by a union’s negotiating committee, then negotiated with management. 

How will AFA help if you are unfairly disciplined?

A union contract protects you from being fired unjustly. Poor work quality, excessive absences, stealing and other company violations remain valid reasons for dismissal. 

Without a contract, management is the final authority on all matters, and the burden is on the individual to prove their innocence when falsely accused. Without a grievance procedure, the only alternative is to accept management’s decision or look for another job.  

With a contract, there’s an alternative: if you’re treated unfairly, you have the right to do something about it. Grievance procedures guarantee each union member due process and a fair hearing. The union has the right to appeal management’s decision if the member feels it is unjust. And, most important, all union contracts under the Railway Labor Act (RLA) provide for final and binding arbitration. This means that final decisions are made by a neutral and objective third party, independent of management. It does not mean that bad employees will get to keep their jobs. 

Is it true that unions just want to collect dues money?

Flight attendants from your airline contacted AFA because they wanted a voice in your workplace. They told AFA that they wanted the job security that goes with a legally binding contract, improved retirement and other benefits, merger and seniority protection, and better wages and working conditions. Each of you has the choice whether or not to sign an authorization card, and each of you has the right to vote for – or against – AFA. But remember, a vote for AFA is the first step toward reaching the negotiating table. 

When AFA becomes your organization, you decide what’s important and what the priorities should be. Flight attendant leaders are elected to decide how to best serve your membership. Over 80 percent of all flight attendants in this country are unionized. It makes sense for you to join AFA – it gives you the opportunity to make your voices heard at the bargaining table, and to play an active part in setting the standards for all flight attendants. AFA members want you to join them because together, speaking with one voice on flight attendant issues, we are all stronger. And remember, AFA is a non-profit organization. All dues income is put to work strictly on flight attendant issues. 

Will I have to pay dues right after the union election?

No. AFA members do not pay dues until after a contract is signed. And a contract cannot be signed until it is ratified by a majority vote of the flight attendants at your airline. You decide if the improvements you receive in your contract are worth the price of dues. 

How is dues money used?

AFA dues are $39 per month, with a one-time initiation fee of $60. Your dues money will be used to support the services and activities of AFA and to provide you with quality, professional representation.  

AFA is a non-profit organization that represents nearly 50,000 flight attendants at more than two dozen airlines. AFA dues are used for: 

•  The cost of negotiations, including the professional negotiators who will assist your negotiating committee;

•  Legal costs, including AFA’s experienced legal team who will work to enforce your legally binding contract;

•  Communication materials to keep you informed about your contract negotiations and other developments;

•  Safety and health experts who advocate for improved workplace safety and assist with accident investigations. 

AFA’s departments (Legal, Air Safety, Health and Security, Employee Assistance, Communications and Research, Government Affairs, Accounting, Membership) are staffed by full-time professionals and elected union leaders, who are all focused exclusively on flight attendants’ issues. 

Dues are also used to pay for arbitrations to protect you if management violates your contract, or if you are fired or disciplined unjustly. Cases are presented to an independent arbitrator, taking the final say away from management. This kind of legal protection helps give you job security. 

I just go to work and do my job. Why should I care if we have a union?

Not everyone will want to participate in union activities, but everyone has an interest in the outcome, so you should be sure to exercise your right to vote. Ask yourself, would you be better or worse off if you had a legally binding contract? Would you be better or worse off if scheduling rules were spelled out in a contract, rather than changed at management’s whim? Would you be better or worse off if you knew you had job security and retirement security because your rights and benefits were spelled out in a contract? Would you be better or worse off if you knew when your next raise was scheduled and how much it would be?  

If you think you’d be better off with AFA, then you need to take the first step. Sign an AFA card today. You can’t have a vote without enough cards. You can’t have a union without enough votes. And, you can’t have a contract unless all of you work together to get one. 

Railway Labor Act Protections 

The Railway Labor Act (RLA) is the federal law that protects union members in the aviation industry. The RLA encompasses unique procedures for dealing with labor disputes, including mandatory mediation, optional arbitration, and workers’ right to strike. As a member of AFA with a legally binding contract, you will be protected by the RLA.  

Today

NO   Status quo protection (ability to maintain pay, work rules and benefits)

NO   Legally binding contract

NO   Union to protect your interests
 

After AFA election

a    Legal protection against retaliation by management

a    Union representation to protect and enforce your rights

After negotiating a contract through AFA