PFAA files with the NMB to oust Teamster!

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Jan 20, 2003
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PFAA Press Release
Washington, D.C. ­ March 11, 2003 ­ Today the Professional Flight Attendants Association (PFAA) filed for an election with the National Mediation Board in Washington, D.C. The PFAA is striving to unseat the International Brotherhood of Teamsters as the bargaining representative for the Northwest Airlines flight attendants. With over 11,000 members, the NWA flight attendant group is the largest local in the Teamster Airline Division. The news of their intended secession follows on the heels of IBT''s loss of the Southwest Airlines mechanics and related to AMFA, also an independent union, despite Hoffa''s personal involvement in the election campaign and even a promise to lower their union dues.
This past year Teamsters International President Jimmy Hoffa, Jr., placed the Northwest work group''s local union into trusteeship. According to PFAA spokesperson Gary Helton, Hoffa''s imposition of a trusteeship upon our local forced thousands of co-workers to question the IBT''s motives behind such a heavy handed tactic. You just don''t remove democratically elected officials without solid proof of your actions and not expect a backlash of resentment. Through the successful collection of authorization cards, the NWA work group has begun the process for a complete overhaul and eventual removal of anything remotely related to Hoffa and his organization. Today''s filing clearly illustrates that an overwhelming majority of NWA flight attendants have become disenchanted with the 26 years of disrespectful and undemocratic IBT representation, said Helton.
The PFAA is an independent, skilled craft union that would represent the NWA flight attendants exclusively. PFAA interim president Guy Meek remarked, The Teamsters have been steadily losing members by the thousands, yet independent unions are becoming increasingly popular. Serious efforts are also underway to unseat the Teamsters at Continental Airlines and UPS. Meek, who has assisted in numerous flight attendant contract negotiations, commented, The most successful flight attendant strike in history took place in 1993 at the world''s largest airline--American. The American Airlines flight attendants are now proudly represented by an independent union. When asked to comment on the PFAA, noted airline labor analyst and Macalester College history professor Peter Rachleff said the new union organizers might be signaling to other dissidents within the Teamsters union that they all ought to look at walking away and creating their own organizations. It could be a kind of poking a hole in the dike. With today''s filing, the hole has been poked in the ever weakening dike. The flight attendant members will now have their say, as the National Mediation Board begins its process for notifying the group of an upcoming election.
 
Congratulations to the fine flight attendants at NWA! Shedding the IBT will be the best thing you've done for yourselves in a long time.

Don't forget the promises made and promptly forgotten by the IBT in the past.

The American Flight Attendants are doing very well with their own union. Don't fall for the baloney about having the AFL-CIO in your corner. I haven't noticed them doing much to help flight attendants.

Stand tall and speak for yourselves about what flight attendants need. The IBT and the AFL-CIO haven't a clue. But they will send you a lot of shiny paper (paid for with your dues money) telling you just how much they care about you and why you need the IBT to look after your interests.

Of course, those interests are pricey offices in Detroit and some really fun conventions in Las Vegas.
 
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On 3/17/2003 12:03:06 PM Dea Certe wrote:

Stand tall and speak for yourselves about what flight attendants need. The IBT and the AFL-CIO haven't a clue. But they will send you a lot of shiny paper (paid for with your dues money) telling you just how much they care about you and why you need the IBT to look after your interests.


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And not only have they but also AFA's Pat Friend and ALPA. Who would ever think AFA would be in Hoffa's corner after the Teamsters snowed us all in the last representional election against AFA in '92. I only hope fellow FA's don't fall for the Teamsters lies again. I for one know after that election it was the same old Teamsters sleeping with NWA.
 
I was quite ashamed of Pat Friend's little letter to the NWA F/A's supporting the IBT. I wasn't the only one, either. AFA has really taken a turn for the worst over the last few years. One good thing though; our officers are elected and can be recalled. I believe IBT appoints officers and then you are good and truly stuck with them.

Best of luck to PFAA! NWA flight attendants deserve much better than the IBT has ever given them.
 
From www.nwaflightattendants.com flight attendant forum.



It would appear that by misusing the computers of the IBT, certain persons who had access to or allowed access to the computers would be in violation of Article I, Sec 2 of the IBT Constitution and abuse of union resources. Not to mention to the personal attacks against the "best interest of members" and the "reputation of the Union"-according to the Oath. Let the International know of these abuses. Call the Legal Department (202) 624-6945 and report the ABUSE! Here is another post about the membership!

Re: Didn't PFAA Say SIX MONTHS Ago That They Had 50%? From: Me Email: Category: General Date: 27 Feb 2003 Time: 16:44:54 -0500 Remote Name: 12.20.108.2


Comments If you are so frigging unhappy with "26 years of IBT...." why don't you just get the heck out? We for sure don't need you here - with all of your whining. Obfuscate? Divine? Give me a break - are we supposed to be so impressed with your use of such obscure words? It just make you sound goofy.



Last changed: 03/17/03
This is the type of behavior IBT uses on IBT computers from Local 2000 offices. Imagine that the IBT telling us if we don't like it get out!! Again AFA beware as when we the members kick the IBT out of NWA they certainly will be looking to replace over 10000 dues paying members. After all somebody has to pay for conventions in Las Vegas while members are on the street.
 
Just a note the IBT does elect officers but when Jimmy doesn't like them he just pulls them and appoints trustees. And he is famous for appointing overseers also who get their locals salary and then double dips and gets paid from our locals dues!!