United FA's to decertify AFA

[airbiscuits]

United flight attendants are in the process of decertifying the AFA as their Union. There is currently an in-house union set-up and ready to take the reigns, should it be voted in.

[Welcome_Aboard]

Airbiscuits,
That’s interesting. Can you post a link to a news story about it?

[ImABarbieStud]

I just heard about some of this a couple of days ago. I recently transferred to SFO and have found the union reps there much more helpful and attentive then the ones in DCA. I don't have enough info to make my determination at this time but I know I am not a big fan of the chaos stuff right now. Mainly because we the flight attendants are in a bad light with the flying public. When they see chaos they think we are going to walk off the planes they are preparing to board. Let's dump the green and not further scare the public. This makes us less desirable to the public and they will keep their business elsewhere. Maybe it's what the company wants. That way a merger would be easier with a slightly smaller company.

[CSMBilly]

I don't know what the situation is specifically at United, but as on principle I think they're crazy going from a Federal union to a company based one.
We had that situation at Qantas when I first joined and it took many years of tough negotiation to achieve one union.
The then company based union (AICCA) realised it was preferable for all flight attendants to belong to one Federal body, though (as it has evolved) the domestic and international branches have financial autonomy.
Strength and safety in numbers!

[This message has been edited by CSMBilly (edited September 25, 2000).]

[airbiscuits]

Good point CSM......I can't say that i disagree with that perspective. However, American FA's seem to be doing rather well with their own union. Atleast, thats what i am being lead to believe.

[Welcome_Aboard]

I did a search and was able to find the web page of the newly formed union that is challenging the AFA for control at UAL.

FAIR…Flight Attendants for Independent Representation
Click here (http://www.fairunion.org/main.html) for FAIR’s main page.

Questions for any UAL F/As:

When was FAIR organized? The earliest dates I could find were this month, September.

Did this come about mainly because of the seniority issues regarding the merger with USAirways? I’m just asking because of a paragraph on their main page:

***“We want to give the UAL flight attendants a collective voice and right to choose whether to retain AFA or start fresh with a new, independent union of our own creation, a union that will fully benefit from all of its own membership dues, that will be driven by the wishes and needs of its membership, that will be structured accordingly, that will be more democratic, that will be protected from unfair seniority merges in the future, and that can and will create its own agenda versus the agenda of a select few. “***

Plus, there is a separate page comparing UA/US F/A seniority. Click here (http://www.fairunion.org/deptofjustice.html) for seniority page and then click on “US Airways Seniority by Domicile” at the bottom of the page.

Or, have the F/As been dissatisfied with AFA for quite a while?

From what any of you have heard, does the AFA look at FAIR as a serious threat?

And do the UAL F/As take this seriously?

So many questions…so little time. http://www.crewstart.com/ubb/images/icons/smile.gif

[Welcome_Aboard]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Arial, Verdana ">quote:<HR>Originally posted by airbiscuits:
.....American FA's seem to be doing rather well with their own union. Atleast, thats what i am being lead to believe.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
The AFA made a run for the AA F/As this last year. There was a lot of turmoil surrounding the leadership of the APFA (AA F/As union) at that time…lack of confidence. The AFA saw an opening and went for it.

I haven’t heard anything lately concerning the AFA here at AA. New leadership (APFA) was elected this year. AFA may have given up for now.

As for our new leadership…time will tell. We are in negotiations now. Any union is only as good as it’s leadership…and it’s membership that makes a concerted effort to stay informed.

I find it a little ironic that after trying to take over at AA, the AFA now finds itself being challenged at UAL. http://www.crewstart.com/ubb/images/icons/smile.gif

[GalleyWench]

Something important to remember in the US is that when attempting to 'decertify' a union, if no one union gets 51% of the vote we revert to having no union or contract at all. If we could not get 100% turnout for a contract vote I think we only screw ourselves expecting one faction to get a 51% vote.

[airbiscuits]

actually, you're severly misinformed. I am assuming that you have been led to believe this from the AFA. The real truth is that whereas one union will need to secure 51% of the vote, that need only be 51% of whatever amount actually cast a ballot. In other words, 100% of the flight attendant populatiion need not cast a vote. Only 51% of the fa's need to cast a vote for it to be a legitimate vote. Assuming that 51% of the fa's voted, then the prevailing union would only need to secure 26% of the overall fa population. So as long as 51% of the fa's actually vote.....the contract would remain in affect, regardless of who the prevailing the union were to be.

[GalleyWench]

Airbiscuits, If you reread my text, we are saying the same thing. I am aware that only 51% of the actual voters need vote a certain way. I was merely lamenting our fractured union, no one voting, attending meetings, etc in the same message.

[airbiscuits]

my mistake! I'm joining a RIF program today.