APFA Proposes Dues Increase

[eolesen]

Given how union representation actually worked out for the NWA employees over the past few years, it will be interesting to see how many still want a union after they convert to DL's workrules.

It will also depend on whether or not Obama and Pelosi get their way on eliminating secret balloting for union representation. But, you guys want them in power, so enjoy the "benefits"...

 

[AC AA LA FA]

Given how union representation actually worked out for the NWA employees over the past few years, it will be interesting to see how many still want a union after they convert to DL's workrules.

It will also depend on whether or not Obama and Pelosi get their way on eliminating secret balloting for union representation. But, you guys want them in power, so enjoy the "benefits"...

...Ill take it over McCains anti worker "Baseball Style" arbitration approach any day..

........VOTE NOV 4th !!!!!!!!

 

[BigBangTheory]

They just acquired several thousand of them. The recent union drive at DL failed by a small margin. I wonder what the result of the next one will be, with the pro-union NW people on board?

MK

I have one word for that:

AFA

 

[TWU informer]

Given how union representation actually worked out for the NWA employees over the past few years, it will be interesting to see how many still want a union after they convert to DL's workrules.

It will also depend on whether or not Obama and Pelosi get their way on eliminating secret balloting for union representation. But, you guys want them in power, so enjoy the "benefits"...

I love how the TWU wants employees to become unionized without a ballot and then they can live with non-ballot appointed leadership also.

For those in the APFA upset about the dues proposal, feel free to contact the TWU, they have paid organizers and would surely welcome you back into the powerful AFL-CIO alliance.

 

[BigBangTheory]

Here are two letters from flight attendants written to the APFA BOD regarding the dues increase. This is something we all should do:

Dear APFA Chair members,

I do NOT believe you should raise my union dues. I don't even care if it's a dollar,
a dime, or a penny - given the current economic climate, it seems a poor time to consider raising dues. Most of us are having trouble with high mortgage payments, dropping 401(k) balances and the threat of layoffs - additional costs will only increase that worry.

In addition, APFA spending is somewhat unrestrained currently - consider all the silly bag tags, buttons, ID cards that are sent to members on a constant basis. How many thousands of dollars are wasted on this??? I think our union money would be FAR better spent by reducing current costs rather than raising dues - perhaps sending email instead of mailing a number of things to members. EVERYONE has e-mail, communicate that way, for every publication (including the sky way).

My union has made concessions before that directly impact me and my livelihood - I do not feel that I should continue to compensate them monetarily when I have been at the short-end of some of the deals they have helped broker. And to show that, I no longer wear my union pin since July 2, 2003, when the union made an agreement that furloughed me and many other employees without any kind of severance or assistance of any kind.

I'm frustrated with the union having the nerve to ask more from us
without showing anything for it. What exactly has this "new union"
done since being in office? Has it decreased the threat of layoffs? Has it helped broker a better contract for me and my fellow workers? The union is designed to protect the employee interests, but it does not protect interests when it becomes so bureaucratic that it needs to increase fees due to a shortchange in its fiscal projections.

Respectfully,


*****************
******

----------------------------------------

Hi Juan,

I just received the letter regarding the dues increase. I'm sorry to say I will vote no to increase the dues. I feel once the APFA has achieved an industry leading contract WE ALL DESERVE, than I can see increasing the dues $5.00 per month ($2.50 per paycheck).

I fly over 100 hours per month to survive. I live paycheck to paycheck and an additional $5.00 per month taken out will hurt. I speak to members on a daily basis because of my involvement with the APFA on a base level. Everyone I have spoken to feels the same regarding the increase. Everyone feels nothing is being done and have not seen any reason to believe, that the additional $5.00 will make a difference.

I have suggested ideas to you for saving the union money and I see they have been swept under the rug. I will suggest three additional to you:

1. Decrease the Executive Officers Pay until a contract is ratified.
2. Do not waste our money for the "Remember November" event.
3. Do not waste our money on the other events and activities in the future.

Take this money and use it for negotiations. Do not ask us for the money. I stand firm on my decision and will say NO to the increase. I have always stood strong as an APFA representative and advocate. This time I do not agree with the BOD on this referendum, to increase the dues.

In Unity,

***************
******

 

[jersey777]

I will more than likely vote for dues increase. The union bashers on here have some sort of axe to grind. Still not wearing your union pin? Get over it...what are you going to do next....cross the picket line. Remember...WE are the union. So a vote to increase dues to help in negotiations is a vote to help yourselves.

UNITY PAYS

 

[butchord45]

Some of your logic escapes me.......once a contract is signed..... expenses for the union should decrease..... by a large dollar sum, but then you want to give them a dues increase after they did the job they are paid to do????? Once the contract is signed they should reduce our dues say 10 bucks a month.

The last dues increase came with a promise that one dollar a month from each F/A would go into a negotiating fund of some sort. Where is that money?????

Here are two letters from flight attendants written to the APFA BOD regarding the dues increase. This is something we all should do:

Dear APFA Chair members,

I do NOT believe you should raise my union dues. I don't even care if it's a dollar,
a dime, or a penny - given the current economic climate, it seems a poor time to consider raising dues. Most of us are having trouble with high mortgage payments, dropping 401(k) balances and the threat of layoffs - additional costs will only increase that worry.

In addition, APFA spending is somewhat unrestrained currently - consider all the silly bag tags, buttons, ID cards that are sent to members on a constant basis. How many thousands of dollars are wasted on this??? I think our union money would be FAR better spent by reducing current costs rather than raising dues - perhaps sending email instead of mailing a number of things to members. EVERYONE has e-mail, communicate that way, for every publication (including the sky way).

My union has made concessions before that directly impact me and my livelihood - I do not feel that I should continue to compensate them monetarily when I have been at the short-end of some of the deals they have helped broker. And to show that, I no longer wear my union pin since July 2, 2003, when the union made an agreement that furloughed me and many other employees without any kind of severance or assistance of any kind.

I'm frustrated with the union having the nerve to ask more from us
without showing anything for it. What exactly has this "new union"
done since being in office? Has it decreased the threat of layoffs? Has it helped broker a better contract for me and my fellow workers? The union is designed to protect the employee interests, but it does not protect interests when it becomes so bureaucratic that it needs to increase fees due to a shortchange in its fiscal projections.

Respectfully,


*****************
******

----------------------------------------

Hi Juan,

I just received the letter regarding the dues increase. I'm sorry to say I will vote no to increase the dues. I feel once the APFA has achieved an industry leading contract WE ALL DESERVE, than I can see increasing the dues $5.00 per month ($2.50 per paycheck).

I fly over 100 hours per month to survive. I live paycheck to paycheck and an additional $5.00 per month taken out will hurt. I speak to members on a daily basis because of my involvement with the APFA on a base level. Everyone I have spoken to feels the same regarding the increase. Everyone feels nothing is being done and have not seen any reason to believe, that the additional $5.00 will make a difference.

I have suggested ideas to you for saving the union money and I see they have been swept under the rug. I will suggest three additional to you:

1. Decrease the Executive Officers Pay until a contract is ratified.
2. Do not waste our money for the "Remember November" event.
3. Do not waste our money on the other events and activities in the future.

Take this money and use it for negotiations. Do not ask us for the money. I stand firm on my decision and will say NO to the increase. I have always stood strong as an APFA representative and advocate. This time I do not agree with the BOD on this referendum, to increase the dues.

In Unity,

***************
******

 

[AAStew]

Did anyone else receive the mailing this week from the APFA? How much did that cost, Not to mention the robocall....
No way to the dues increase! I called the APFA about 7 weeks ago about an issue and I got a "lecture" about how I was not flying what I was hired to fly! I was flying 50 hours a month at that time. Folks my son was the victim of an armed robbery while at college (9/26/08) and was critically injured. I am now dealing with his health issues and not eligible for FMLA so I am dropping! I am currently flying 0 hours. The APFA is ready to give this away! They are not getting a blessed cent from me! Those senior flight attendants worked hard so I can care for my son who is partially paralyzed right now! I am for impeachment thank you, forget a raise. Juan, I cannot believe you are a party to this! I loved flying with you!
Raisa (AAStew)

 

[FWAAA]

Some of your logic escapes me.......once a contract is signed..... expenses for the union should decrease..... by a large dollar sum, but then you want to give them a dues increase after they did the job they are paid to do????? Once the contract is signed they should reduce our dues say 10 bucks a month.

The last dues increase came with a promise that one dollar a month from each F/A would go into a negotiating fund of some sort. Where is that money?????

Less than two weeks ago, in post #2, you took the opposite position:

I propose an immediate $5 dollar reduction in monthly dues......and and additional $1 a month until a new contract is signed. Then a snapback to a reasonable dues assessment of $30.00 a month once the contract is in place. Get to work

More now and less later or less now and more later?

 

[jersey777]

Did anyone else receive the mailing this week from the APFA? How much did that cost, Not to mention the robocall....
No way to the dues increase! I called the APFA about 7 weeks ago about an issue and I got a "lecture" about how I was not flying what I was hired to fly! I was flying 50 hours a month at that time. Folks my son was the victim of an armed robbery while at college (9/26/08) and was critically injured. I am now dealing with his health issues and not eligible for FMLA so I am dropping! I am currently flying 0 hours. The APFA is ready to give this away! They are not getting a blessed cent from me! Those senior flight attendants worked hard so I can care for my son who is partially paralyzed right now! I am for impeachment thank you, forget a raise. Juan, I cannot believe you are a party to this! I loved flying with you!
Raisa (AAStew)

First of all...sorry to hear about your son. I have my own family leave issue. However, your beef should be with American Airlines and not with the union. Did you know that if American Airlines had its way then the only people who would qualify for family leave were those that flew 1200 hrs a year..that means 100 hrs per month every month. The union grieved American's reading of the family leave act and they relented to lower the qualification. Remember the family leave act is a federal law and has very exact guidelines. There are exemptions to the guidelines for teachers and firefighters recognizing their unique schedules. However, there is no exemptions for flight attendants. Right now your union is working with congress to get this written into the family leave act. So if you were only flying 50 hrs a month before you applied for family leave then the federal government and American Airlines say you don't qualify. I'm sure you have been here long enough to know that we have to fight for everything. If it weren't for the union filing the grievance...even those who fly a full schedule would not qualify for family leave.

 

[nbmcg01]

Did anyone else receive the mailing this week from the APFA? How much did that cost, Not to mention the robocall....
No way to the dues increase! I called the APFA about 7 weeks ago about an issue and I got a "lecture" about how I was not flying what I was hired to fly! I was flying 50 hours a month at that time. Folks my son was the victim of an armed robbery while at college (9/26/08) and was critically injured. I am now dealing with his health issues and not eligible for FMLA so I am dropping! I am currently flying 0 hours. The APFA is ready to give this away! They are not getting a blessed cent from me! Those senior flight attendants worked hard so I can care for my son who is partially paralyzed right now! I am for impeachment thank you, forget a raise. Juan, I cannot believe you are a party to this! I loved flying with you!
Raisa (AAStew)

Check your usaviation messages when you have time. Nancy

 

[butchord45]

Less than two weeks ago, in post #2, you took the opposite position:



More now and less later or less now and more later?

Both posts are saying basically the same thing....reduce dues..... we now pay 41.50 a month.......a 10 dollar reduction would be right near the 30 bucks a month i referred to.

My first post said.....5 bucks now....down to 35.00.....then a buck a month until they get a contract for us. and if it gets to 0 so be it. Then a snap back to 30 bucks a month once the contract. i signed.

Second post said a 10 buck reduction which also gets us to 30 bucks a month. I guess I wasn't that clear.

Either way 30 bucks a month is plenty......actually 25 sounds like a better number.

 

[L1011Ret]

Both posts are saying basically the same thing....reduce dues..... we now pay 41.50 a month.......a 10 dollar reduction would be right near the 30 bucks a month i referred to.

My first post said.....5 bucks now....down to 35.00.....then a buck a month until they get a contract for us. and if it gets to 0 so be it. Then a snap back to 30 bucks a month once the contract. i signed.

Second post said a 10 buck reduction which also gets us to 30 bucks a month. I guess I wasn't that clear.

Either way 30 bucks a month is plenty......actually 25 sounds like a better number.

APFA has trampled all over its membership. I doubt there will be much support for a dues increase. Do they really think more dues money is going to result in a better contract? Delusional. Do they think they will have more "unity" with more dues money? Delusional.

 

[jersey777]

APFA has trampled all over its membership. I doubt there will be much support for a dues increase. Do they really think more dues money is going to result in a better contract? Delusional. Do they think they will have more "unity" with more dues money? Delusional.

I think that vast majority of the people I work with feel trampled by American Airlines and not their own union. To answer your first question...I do believe that this is going to be a long fight and it is going to cost alot of money...paying for lawyers and consultants all along the way. And, no, I am in no way delusional.

 

[jimntx]

Even though as a junior f/a I tend to get zero assistance on any subject from the APFA, I am not in the "they haven't done anything for me; so I'm not going to give them an increase in dues" camp. I'm not voting for a dues increase because I have not been given an explanation for the need for a dues increase.

"We are in negotiations; so, we need this dues increase." This is more of a non sequitur than an explanation. It makes about as much sense as "The sun rose this morning; so, we need a dues increase."

What do they intend to do with the increased revenue? Print more useless signs and start up meaningless, totally ineffective campaigns? (See also, Decline/Resign.)

I find it interesting that they (the APFA) want to move the negotiations out of DFW area "to avoid distractions." Where do they want to move them? Puerto Vallarta? Palm Springs? Mid-town Manhattan? What "distractions"?

Call me paranoid and suspicious, but I have a feeling that the dues increase has more to do with paying for expensive hotels in resort areas for the negotiations than anything else? Right now, the negotiators can stay at home at night or in reasonably priced hotels in the DFW area. Why should we increase the cost of the negotiations by moving them to some high-priced locale?

I would be willing to bet that if the company said, "Ok, we'll move the negotiations site to avoid distractions? How about the Holiday Inn-Airport in Birmingham, AL?", the APFA's response would be underwhelming. (BTW, that Holiday Inn is very nice. I just stayed there last weekend. I'm just making a point.)