First Ever Deal For Ryan International FAs

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) at Continental Micronesia ratified a contract extension with United Continental Holdings Friday, covering the carrier's over 275 flight attendants based in Guam. The agreement, which includes job security improvements as well as flexibility and economic growth, was approved by nearly 80 percent of Continental Micronesia flight attendants.

"This contract extension allows us to move forward with single contract negotiations while securing improvements that are important to flight attendants," said Suzanne Hendricks, AFA President at Continental Micronesia. "We look forward to advancing joint contract negotiations with United so that flight attendants from our three carriers are unified under the protections of a single agreement."

Last week, AFA negotiators from Continental Micronesia joined their union colleagues from Continental and United to prepare for upcoming joint negotiations which are scheduled to begin on August 27.

In another labor development, FAs at Ryan International Airlines, represented by the AFA, ratified their first contract. The agreement, reached in June with the assistance of the National Mediation Board, includes job security and valuable protections for nearly 200 flight attendants. The contract was ratified by a strong majority of Flight Attendants participating in the election.

"Ryan International flight attendants worked hard to achieve the workplace protections and professional standards provided by an AFA contract. Today, those efforts were realized and, for the first time, we have a legally binding contract that recognizes our contributions to our airline," said Mary Lou Riley, AFA Ryan International President. "Ryan International flight attendants were able to secure an agreement that values our exceptional dedication to the airline and to our passengers and provides a foundation for the future."

Ryan International, based in Rockford, IL, provides private charter service as well as passenger service for the U.S. government, including the Department of Defense, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rubloff Development Group.

FMI: www.afacwa.org