Congratulations
GREAT JOB
YOU HAVE DONE WHAT NO ONE EXPECTED
When the IAM turned in 60% of our signed cards for a union vote, you made a statement.
You said to management and to the world. Enough is enough. You stated, you would no longer be treated disproportionally to the counter parts of your industry.
You have said, you care about more than just yourself. You have made it clear you wish to be an addition rather than an anchor for your overall profession.
By signing your authorization card for a vote, you not only helped yourself, but you helped American, United, Southwest, Jet Blue and all flight attendants within the national industry.
No longer will we be the anchor, which drags our counter parts to the lowest common denominator. No longer will we be the butt of jokes within our industry.
I can say with great conviction, today at this moment, I am proud of my coworkers and the decision they have made to go forward with a union.
You as a flight attendant are making legitimate history. You are witnessing a historical event, and something you should be very, very proud to be a part of.
The bottom line to remember is “over “60% of the flight attendant group has sent in a card stating they want a union.
So, CONGRATULATIONS, you have already won as the cards continue to come in and support is growing and growing from places you would never expect and from people you would never expect.
The great thing and the key thing to all this is – it’s not NORTHWEST who is carrying this wave it’s the biggest picture of all of us who is carrying the banner.
There is no more north and south. There is no more partisanship between the absorbed, blended, whipped or folded in flight attendants.
I believe we have all come together as one team, and none of us want to look back. While I have a fondness for Northwest, it was just a brand name.
Yes, I learned many things with that brand but in the remains of the day, the brand was just a means to end, a paycheck. The brand didn’t provide me comfort when I was sad, or took care of me when I was sick. What the brand did was compensate me for my life or the time and risks I took each time I began a rotation.
Nothing more, nothing less.
For those of you who have not made a choice yet, and for those of you who are voting no; let me share the following with you.
Do you really want to waste your vote in voting no? What can be accomplished by stomping your feet and protesting until the cows come home. SIXTY plus percent of us have already said yes. We have already won and the election is merely theater at this point.
Wouldn’t it benefit you as a flight attendant to vote yes and not waste your vote simply to show your disappointment?
By voting yes, our numbers of support grows. With the supportive numbers, you will see an expedient construction of a contract. You will see cooperative measures come together as you have never seen before.
You realize of course with the business and the stock doing as well as it is, that it behooves management to settle this out quickly and in the most cost effective manner possible for everyone involved?
Therefore, I urge you not to waste your vote. Do yourself a favor, do your coworkers a favor and put our numbers at an overwhelming show of support by voting yes. At the very least you will profit from your vote and why shouldn’t you profit from your vote, you’ve earned it.
At the very least you could “just give it year.” I did.
Lastly, I’d like you the reader to realize why IAM does not dive in the mud of it’s panicking detractors. Why hasn’t IAM taken the negative path? Ask yourself why?
Because its all about us by us. The brand is again simply providing the means to an end. Your coworkers have made all of this possible for you. It’s been a collective team effort and one I can say I am very impressed with. It’s true I am a unionist and I do believe in unionism, but I have a secret for you.
At one time I was so Anti-Union I made No Way AFA look like gathering of positive Pete’s. My path in life has taken me from one side of the spectrum to the other. Currently I find myself just the left of center in the common sense party.
So in closing I will share it did take a leap of faith for me to become a unionist but if I can do it, I know you can do it.
I assure you, the water is fine and the people are great, so jump on in, and l look forward to seeing you in the pool - it's very warm and refreshing I assure you.
Scott Braxton