Flight Attendants Offer Holiday Travel Tips
 |
You’ve made it through the parking lot, baggage check, security and are finally ready—somewhat frazzled but ready—to board your plane for your long-awaited holiday trip. The Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) have some tips for you that will help ensure you and your family travel safely and securely and ease the strain on passengers, children and fellow travelers.
AFA-CWA President Veda Shook says, “As first responders in the aircraft cabin, flight attendants’ primary responsibility is to protect the safety and security of our passengers.” She adds: Read the rest of this entry »
Omni Flight Attendants Vote to Join AFA-CWA
Nearly 400 flight Attendants at Omni Air International voted overwhemingly—by an 83 percent margin—to join the Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA).
Omni Air flight attendant Mya Grap, interm president of the AFA-CWA Omni unit, says:
We love our work and we want to make it better. We are going to make the most out of this opportunity and make a big difference for our future….Omni Flight Attendants make great contributions to the success of our carrier and to our country through our work with the U.S. military.
Another FAA Shutdown Looming over Rep. Mica’s, Delta’s Union-Busting Scheme
 |
||||
|
||||
If a funding agreement isn’t reached by Sept. 16, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) faces another shutdown like the one Republicans forced in July. That shutdown cost 4,000 FAA workers and 70,000 construction workers two weeks’ pay, halted important airport safety improvements and cost taxpayers some $400 million. It ended Aug. 5 with a temporary FAA reauthorization.
But another shutdown just might happen if Republicans like Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) continue to carry Delta Air Lines’ baggage by backing a provision in the long-term House FAA funding bill—supported by Delta—to take away democratic union election rights for aviation and rail workers. Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) President Veda Shook says Mica is:
acting as Delta Air Lines’ pawn by advancing a union-busting provision and threatening another shutdown of the FAA. Mica’s contempt for workers and the 75,000 people who were out of work due to the partial shutdown of the FAA is feeding Delta’s grossly funded union-busting scheme.
AFA-CWA unions are stepping up the pressure on Mica, his Republican colleagues and Delta—and you can join in. Click here to sign a petition to Delta telling the airline it’s time to cease its support for the “entirely undemocratic” union election provision that would count workers who don’t participate in a union election as “No” votes.
USW Members OK Pact with Allegheny Technologies—and More Bargaining News
United Steelworkers in Pennsylvania and Oregon ratify a contract with Allegheny Technologies, and more news from the “Bargaining Digest Weekly.” The AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily, bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 1,400 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.
SETTLEMENTS
USW, Allegheny Technologies Inc.: Two weeks after they rejected a tentative agreement with Allegheny Technologies Inc., members of the United Steelworkers (USW) ratified a new four-year contract. The contract covers 3,000 workers in Pennsylvania and Oregon.
Republican Attack on Workers’ Rights Puts Aviation Safety at Risk
 |
UPDATE: Both the House and Senate adjourned this afternoon without taking action on the FAA bill, ensuring a midnight shutdown. Senate Republicans blocked a move for a temporary extension of the agency’s funding.
At midnight tonight, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is slated to run out of money and be forced to suspend vital operations because House Republicans want to deny aviation and rail workers a simple majority vote—the same process that applies to electing lawmakers—on whether to join a union.
Republicans are holding a temporary funding bill hostage because they want to overturn a new rule adopted last year by the National Mediation Board (NMB) that says air and rail elections should be decided by a majority of votes cast. Previously under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), which covers rail and airline workers, each worker who did not cast a vote in a representation election was automatically counted as a “No” vote.
Edward Wytkind, president of the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department (TTD), says:
Republican leaders are doing the bidding of a few airline CEOs who refuse to allow this bill to move forward unless it eviscerates fair union election rules. No wonder the public is growing weary of the majority leaders in the House and their tactics.
Flight Attendants, FAA Offer Travel Season Safety Tips
 |
With the Memorial Day holiday and summer travel season approaching, Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) President Veda Shook and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Randy Babbitt kicked off the summer travel season with some helpful tips to educate passengers on how to make air travel as safe as possible.
Shook told a Washington, D.C., press conference this week:
As first responders in the cabin, a Flight Attendant’s foremost responsibility is to help protect the safety and security of our passengers. Through comprehensive training and extensive experience, Flight Attendants are well equipped to ensure passengers arrive at their destination safely and securely.
IAM Ratifies Pact with Army Fleet Support—and More Bargaining News
The Machinists (IAM) approved a new contract with Army Fleet Support, and more news from the “Bargaining Digest Weekly.” The AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily, bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 1,300 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.
SETTLEMENTS
IAM, Army Fleet Support: Members of Machinists (IAM) Local 2003 at Ft. Rucker, Ala., ratified a new three-year contract with Army Fleet Support earlier this month. The 3,800 IAM members are trainers, test pilots and mechanics at the Army’s largest helicopter base.
Airline Unions Form Global Alliance
Fourteen airline unions from the United States and seven other countries have formed a cooperative global organization to give workers a stronger voice in dealing with the world’s major airlines.
The One World of Labor Council was created this week during a two-day meeting of union officials in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Transport Workers (TWU) and sponsored by the London-based International Transport Workers Federation (ITF).
The members of the council, which also includes the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), represent workers at American Airlines, British Airways, Qantas, Chile-based LAN Airlines, and several other carriers that belong to the oneworld global airline alliance.
Shook and Wise Named to Executive Council
 |
||||
|
||||
The AFL-CIO Executive Council welcomed Veda Shook and Walter Wise as new members today.
Shook took office Jan. 1 as president of the Flight Attendants-CWA, succeeding Patricia Friend, who retired and also resigned from the Executive Council. An AFA-CWA member since 1991, Shook says she plans to keep right on flying. Before her election as president, she served as an AFA-CWA vice president since 2007.
Wise was appointed president of the Ironworkers in February. In more than 35 years as an ironworker, he has served his union as general organizer, president of the Mid-Atlantic States District Council, general vice president and general treasurer. He was appointed president in February after Joseph Hunt retired. Hunt also retired from the Executive Council.
 |
||||
|
||||
The council approved a statement thanking Hunt for his service and especially “his wise counsel and commitment to and leadership of organizing.” It also cited how as the Ironworkers’ leader, he steered the union through a difficult period of political and economic turmoil with a steady hand and strong vision. Hunt continues to serve working people as chairman of the Union Labor Life Insurance Co.
The council praised Friend as “a leader in the struggle for the advancement of women and people of color to the entire union movement.” Under her leadership, the council said, AFA-CWA fought for, and won, whistleblower protections for aviation employees, increased penalties for passengers who interfere with crew member duties, a smoking ban on international flights, an extension of the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover all flight crew members, seniority protections for flight attendants in the event of a merger and an opened door for occupational safety and health protections for all flight attendants.
Coffee, Tea or Workplace Safety?
 |
|
Back when flight attendants were stewardesses and airline ads promoted their good looks and winsome smiles to get you on board, these hardworking airline employees had no job safety and health protection. Today, flight attendants still are not covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and most of his Republicans colleagues want to keep it that way, just like the old days.
The Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), Machinists (IAM) and Transport Workers (TWU) have launched campaigns to fight back. Here’s the latest video from TWU that notes, “Times have changed” and Paul’s efforts put both flight attendants and the flying public at risk.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) bill now in the Senate provides OSHA protection to flight attendants and other air crew. Paul has offered an amendment to cut those protections from the FAA bill, in effect putting both workers and passengers at risk.
Considering the high rate of workplace injuries and the impact on the flying public, flight attendants are speaking out about why this is a serious mistake. Sanitation, air quality, temperature and humidity levels, noise and blood-borne pathogens are just a few of the hazards that go unchecked for flight attendants in their workplace—the aircraft cabin.
What’s next, passenger parachutes for landing?
