Important Message from your Negotiations Team

It’s the holiday season, and we remain in active negotiations. Since this is the first time negotiating under Section 6 for many of our Flight Attendants, we want to review what is and is not legal under the Railway Labor Act.     Since we are still in direct negotiations, we can’t strike, engage in work slowdowns or other activity designed to cause economic harm to the Company. Likewise, management can’t lock us out or impose new contract terms. Basically, nothing can or has changed in terms of how and when we do our work.  This is called the “status quo,” and both sides are required to maintain it.  Flight Attendants should not do anything on their own. The most common allegation around the industry during negotiations is Flight Attendants engaging in a concerted effort to stop picking up Open Time. Of course, you are not required to pick up Open Time; many flight attendants never do. However, if management sees a trend where less Open Time than usual is being picked up, we can expect an investigation and, possibly, legal action against Flight Attendants and AFA.   The same goes for coordinating or participating in a “sick out.” If you or a covered family member is sick, absolutely call in sick. But if you are calling in sick to pressure the Company to put more money on the table or because you are mad at management—don’t do it. Individual Flight Attendants may be disciplined, or terminated, if these efforts are made outside of RLA provisions. We do not want to put Flight Attendants, AFA, or our negotiations at risk. We have come too far and have much to accomplish. And remember, even if you don’t get into trouble, unnecessary sick calls, especially in large numbers, are an unfair burden on your co-workers, who may be extended, drafted or rescheduled to accommodate your absence.    Management is keeping a close eye on attendance trends. They are suspicious that sick calls, uncovered open time, and flight cancellations over Thanksgiving weekend were related to negotiations. AFA does not agree with that at all. Management awarded company leaves and offered higher than contractual reduced-credit lines, again. They had the option to recall Flight Attendants on CLOA, but they chose not to do that. And, we have had days with a higher number of sick calls with little to no impact on the operation, and no emails from management.  What does all of this mean? It means don’t go rogue! Management is very concerned about the upcoming holidays. We know that many of you are upset with management’s compensation proposal—and we certainly have a fight ahead of us. But that said, we don’t want to end up in court, and we don’t want you to end up in discipline. You should only participate in actions endorsed by the MEC. This will ensure that everything we—and you—do is legal under the Railway Labor Act.   So, what can you do? Thank you for asking! Right now, everyone should be wearing their AFA pin, taking selfies with their flying partners, sending these to [email protected] (GET CREATIVE!! We will be posting them on our official FB page and on our website!) and getting involved in our mobilization efforts that will be coming out in the next few months. After you have checked in for your trip, check to see that all FAs you are working with are wearing their pin. If they are not, know where the AFA pins are in each base so you can get them one before you head out to your aircraft. And, as we progress through the process, we will be turning up the heat. All of those plans and actions, as we develop them, will be run by the AFA International Legal Department to ensure that our plans are legal and effective.  In closing, management knows that flight attendants are mad. What we want them to know is that you support AFA and what AFA is doing at the bargaining table. They need to know that you have our back when we tell them something is a must-have (or a heck no!).  We are Stronger Together. We Got This.