Latest AFA-CWA News...

LukeAisleWalker

Veteran
Sep 29, 2007
715
2
This is from the Alaska Airlines Organizer working on the Delta Campaign. Note his response to the anti-union person who brought up the ol' tired standby "AFA just wants your money." AFA has fantastic Organizers from Other Airlines (OALs) assisting in the drive. They are very articulate, caring and committed. In fact, if you visit the anti-union site's message board (deltafa.org), you will notice that these organizers are able to drive a hole into every argument the anti-union Adminsistrator is able to put forth. They (anti-unionites) end up silenced...unable to even respond.
I am really not a pro-union fanatic, but I know reality when I see it and I know the remedy to the ills that have plagued the industry and Delta in particular. It is time to stop riding on coat tails and be leaders..be stong, be respected.

It was amazing to see the responses of your Delta/AFA volunteers -- and how could you not feel the passion and drive that motivates each one of them? It is a direct reflection of every person I have had the pleasure of meeting on this campaign. Great job Delta.

The cards keep rolling in. People who have expired cards are renewing them and new card signers are filling them out and sending them in. It is so powerful to see this happening, to see the metamorphosis of your desire to have a voice at work. I am continually amazed at the educated response of the Delta flight attendants even though their executives try to buy you off your goal with incentives "in the future" -- but you just keep focused and the momentum is building. Recently a comment was made by a passer by in the parking lot who said, "What, I might get this in the new year and then when this [campaign to join AFA-CWA] is done, it "might" just as easily go away if I don't have it in a contract." Hello, that is it exactly!

I have just gotten off the phone with two retired Delta flight attendants who called and volunteered their time to help you in your effort to gain a voice at work. It's wonderful to listen to these long time Delta flight attendants share their stories and articulate their understanding of why you need a contract. Bless their hearts, they have no other motivation in this - other than to see their chosen profession continue and that each of you have the security of a legally binding contract. These women do not have to be here or participate but they are. This epitomizes the spirit of unionism and the power you each have to change your futures. Be proud of yourselves!

Now you all are participating in your first mobilization test which will determine whether you are ready or not to call for a vote. This test is vital to determining how strong your member-to-member structure is. I have no doubt that you will come through with flying colors but it is vital that each of you participate. Once again, this is a Delta flight attendant idea and has been implemented by your activists to help your campaign along. Once again you have all proven your commitment to each other and to having a voice at work. Wow, so many great things and it just keeps on moving! GREAT JOB!

I am going to copy in one of my responses to a recent e-mail. It is an e-mail dialogue I had with one of your anti-AFA co-workers. He questioned me about AFA just wanting dues money and about AFA supporting bad workers. The conversation was respectful and I thought the information was pertinent enough to pass on here. I have removed the persons name for his privacy.

Dear xxxxxxx,

As far as "AFA wanting your money" let me say this, if you take into consideration the money that AFA has invested in you over the years and now this campaign, it would take years before that money was recouped not to mention that AFA would not collect dues from you until after you ratify your first contract, which could be a while. In that time AFA would be supporting each local council, buying equipment for your offices and covering flight pay loss for your elected leaders to go to training's and to represent you and so much more. It is a huge undertaking and a very expensive proposition. It really is not about the money! For the record, dues are 100% tax deductible.

As for your question "can you deny that AFA wants our money" it is a dual answer, let me have a go at it. "your Money" in the form of dues is very important to AFA as is my dues money. We do not have the incredible resources that giant corporations do, so collectively as workers we pool our resources to support a structure that advocates for our profession. The more resources we have available the more we are able to accomplish in advancing our profession. The greater issue is that there are more of us collectively that are part of the same structure. The adage "strength in numbers" applies here. The stronger we are the greater impact we have in all facets of advocating for our careers. Such as our government affairs department. AFA is directly responsible for much of the safety and security legislation that has benefited our industry in the recent past. That is a fact. Our respect on Capitol Hill is not just because we are considered the experts in our field but also that we are workers advocating for our jobs and not some giant corporation with a single focus, the shareholders. Additionally what we advocate for has a dual effect, it benefits the traveling public as well.

The dues structure at AFA is one of the lowest in trade unionism and we are very good at getting the most for our dues dollar, in fact a much higher percentage than most unions goes directly back to you at your local council for you to operate you own union under the umbrella of AFA. Our $39.00 a month dues has not gone up in nearly 14 years. As far as being a business, we are a non profit organization and it would be illegal for us to make a profit.

Like you, I have a great relationship with my management. I work with my company all the time on special projects to help ensure that Alaska Airlines is a success. Our AFA committees work very closely with our management team to ensure that success. The difference is that we have a contract that allows us to have a say in the decisions that affect our lives. We have a legally binding contract that ensures our work rules do not change, schedulers don't abuse us and our pay cannot be taken away or changed arbitrarily and through negotiations we can collectively make the decisions that affect our livelihood and the ability to provide for our families. It is a mutually agreed to document, agreed to by both the company and the membership. Just like the contracts your company has with most of its vendors.

I do not believe for a moment that a union/contract and supporting your company has to be mutually exclusive, the fact is they don't have to be. We can agree to disagree on issues and it does not have to be disrespectful but can be a professional relationship.

As for the "bad worker" well, there are bad workers everywhere. Union or not. They exist today, what a contract does do is provide discipline rules in black and white and provide a codified document for treating everyone fairly and consistently. There is no arbitrary treatment. The same rules apply to everyone and if you don't follow the rules then there is an avenue for discipline up to and including termination it is called progressive discipline. You just have to follow the contract.

I will tell you this, I appreciate your questions and concerns and you strike me as someone with a level head and a genuine concern for your fellow workers and your company. I hope that when you become a part of AFA you will consider running for an elected position, it is just your type of attitude that will ensure you have a successful working relationship with Delta Management and you have the ability to gain back what you have lost and help to rebuild our profession.

 
How can the AFA hang their hat on the "strength in numbers" adage when they will cross a legal picket line.
How can the AFA claim to be a true member of "trade unionism " when they will cross a legal picket line of co-workers.
How can the AFA extol its members to be "be strong, be respected." when they will let there members cross a legal picket line of co workers striking to stop the race to the bottom.

It pains me to see the IAM (we will get them next time), the AFA (be strong, be respected) and the ALPA (strangled that golden goose) whine about there plight.

Those three groups, by their apathy, drive for self-preservation and fear, have allowed to happen what Frank Lorenzo could only dream about.


AN INJURY TO ONE, IS AN INJURY TO ALL. We all have become very injured indeed.
 
How can the AFA hang their hat on the "strength in numbers" adage when they will cross a legal picket line.
How can the AFA claim to be a true member of "trade unionism " when they will cross a legal picket line of co-workers.
How can the AFA extol its members to be "be strong, be respected." when they will let there members cross a legal picket line of co workers striking to stop the race to the bottom.

It pains me to see the IAM (we will get them next time), the AFA (be strong, be respected) and the ALPA (strangled that golden goose) whine about there plight.

Those three groups, by their apathy, drive for self-preservation and fear, have allowed to happen what Frank Lorenzo could only dream about.
AN INJURY TO ONE, IS AN INJURY TO ALL. We all have become very injured indeed.


Brokenwrench: Please elaborate on your post...I am interested. When did AFA cross a legal picket line? Please be more specific. It helps on these boards. Also...I don't believe unions can ignore economic realities in the airline industry. If there is a downturn, concessions may have to be made as I want my company to succeed. But what you may not understand is we (non-pilots) at Delta are TOLD what concessions we will give. We have no say in the process. Some are ok with that but some of us are not. I would love to hear your possible alternatives to union representation where you will have a legal voice in what happens to your future. Sounds like you are mad at all unions for caving, so to speak. Would you rather be non-union? I've read your posts before and because I'm new here and your posts seem to be somewhat cryptic, I'm unsure if you're anti-union across the board or just against specific airline unions (from your post above, you seem unhappy with the majority of them.)
 
How can the AFA hang their hat on the "strength in numbers" adage when they will cross a legal picket line.
How can the AFA claim to be a true member of "trade unionism " when they will cross a legal picket line of co-workers.
How can the AFA extol its members to be "be strong, be respected." when they will let there members cross a legal picket line of co workers striking to stop the race to the bottom.

It pains me to see the IAM (we will get them next time), the AFA (be strong, be respected) and the ALPA (strangled that golden goose) whine about there plight.

Those three groups, by their apathy, drive for self-preservation and fear, have allowed to happen what Frank Lorenzo could only dream about.
AN INJURY TO ONE, IS AN INJURY TO ALL. We all have become very injured indeed.
The answer to your question is quite simple. FOR DECADES AMFA CLAIMED THAT THEY DID NOT NEED ANYONE ELSE; AND THAT THEY COULD WIN A STRIKE ALL BY THEMSELVES BY WITHHOLDING THEIR SKILLS. They constantly insulted other work groups. When they were with the IAM, they incessantly complained that the "unskilled" were "holding them back", "dragging them down", and "riding their coattails". They went on and on about how they were underpaid because the unskilled were way overpaid even though they made substantially more. They have no right to complain about a lack of support that they claimed they never needed in the first place from other work groups that they despise. From NW, we learned that AMFA's going alone strategy was a complete failure. But suppose the IAM and AFA had honored AMFA's picket line which would have brought NWA to it's knees; do you really think that AMFA would have given those two unions credit? No, their elitist AMFA mentality would have never allowed it. They would have claimed it was the withholding of their skills and not the support of the unskilled that brought NWA down. Of course, there would have been no way to prove them right or wrong. But since they did go it alone at NW and totally failed we now know for certain that it would have been the support of the unskilled that would have brought NW down and not the withholding of their skills.