AdAstraPerAspera
Veteran
johnny kat said:I think it is very important to take things into perspective. The union dues increase argument is really ridiculous "7 bucks". For that extra seven bucks AFA members enjoy much better medical insurance, much better work rules, more flexible use of vacation days, affiliation with the AFL/CIO and the list goes on. Please take the time to review the comparison charts...that is all I am saying.
And I am not nescessarily AFAs biggest fan, so don't think I am anti APFA. But I am not really seeing a lot of things to cheer about in the APFA contract. For instance how the vacation days must be used or the amount of sick time accrual monthly. I believe the scheduling rules at AA are horrible. But thats just me. Everyone really needs to think long term.
As for an industry standard contract...it sounds good while you are in BK, but you have to consider what "industry standard" really means in the airline industry. DL Bankrupt, UA Bankrupt so any industry standard contract is based upon bankrupt airline's standards. Management's dream come true. Let's not be shortsighted, let's take the best from both. Why not just merge the two unions and start working toward a better future all together. Kumbaya
It's not the amount of the dues that is the problem, it's the imperialist way they go about increasing them. Dues increases at APFA have to be voted in by the membership. It's part of the constitution. Whereas, when I was an AFA member in 2011, my dues were increased arbitrarily simply because AFA National lost dues income from the Northwest flight attendants. This was galling. How were my interests being safeguarded in this case?
Not to mention, when we elected AFA as our bargaining rep in 2010, all the negotiators did was rubber stamp our existing work rules already in place to form a contract. They didn't even bother trying to improve the language.
After that fiasco, plus paying addl dues to cover the cost of the failed AFA election at Delta, me and a lot of other crew were wondering what we were paying AFA for…and what they were doing with all our money.
Transparency should be paramount in any union. I've been a member of AFA and APFA, and I can say for sure, APFA has more of it.
And I'm not interested in any national union affiliation. I'm a flight attendant, not a communications worker (whatever that is).