AFA, APFA Deal Sets Stage For Contract Improvements

The unions representing flight attendants at the new American Airlines have reached an agreement on how their workgroup will be represented at the new company and how they will work together to achieve an industry-leading joint contract. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA represents the pre-merger US Airways workgroup while the Association of Professional Flight Attendants represents the pre-merger American workgroup.

"Looks like the only thing left on the checklist now is getting the industry-leading contract we deserve," said Laura Glading, APFA President. "Flight attendants - all of us - have worked together to get the merger done, to get the antitrust case settled, and to resolve representation and bargaining issues. Now we're ready to hit the ground running. I thank Roger Holmin and everyone at AFA for helping to put flight attendants in such an advantageous position."

"This agreement paves the way for our combined membership to negotiate the industry-leading contract we deserve," said Roger Holmin, AFA President at US Airways. "Working together, and with the support of all 24,000 flight attendants, we will achieve the very best at the world's biggest airline. At the same time, this agreement upholds our democratic values by ensuring the US Airways flight attendants a right to vote: on representation and on the process for the upcoming collective bargaining negotiations. As we now turn our focus to management, I want to acknowledge Laura Glading and the efforts of APFA to work with us to maximize our leverage through this partnership."

The agreement guarantees that the best provisions of both the existing contracts will provide the basis for negotiations for a joint collective bargaining agreement in the new year. A joint committee, comprised of flight attendants and consultants from both pre-merger work groups will handle contract negotiations. The agreement also dictates an expedited timeline for these negotiations and states that any outstanding items will be resolved through interest arbitration.

Within the next six months the unions will jointly file for a Single Carrier Determination from the National Mediation Board after which time APFA will be certified as the collective bargaining representative for the craft and class of flight attendants at the new American Airlines.

The agreement has been approved by unanimous votes of the AFA-US Airways Master Executive Council and the APFA Board of Directors. The agreement is still subject to reaching agreement with American management on the bargaining process and a secret-ballot vote of the pre-merger US Airways Flight Attendants.

FMI: www.afacwa.org