Special Message from PFAA President Guy D Meek.
October 28, 2005
Dear PFAA Flight Attendant:
When you elected me, I promised to be diligent in my leadership and be completely honest with you. As such it is critical that you realize that we are facing incredible obstacles. NWA is seeking horrendous concessionary givebacks and is requesting that the Bankruptcy Court gut our contract, pay, and benefits through the 1113© process. I assure you that your PFAA leadership is up for the fight. It is critical that we keep you fully informed about our union's strategic plans as well as answer the memberships' questions.
We have assembled a nationally recognized team of strategic advisors to assist us. They include the following:
Dan Akins is a Transportation Economist who trained at the London School of Economics. He has recently worked for other large aviation unions at United (AFA-CWA), USAirways (AFA-CWA), American (APFA), as well as Southwest (TWU).
Claude Poulin is a pension actuary who consults nearly exclusively with labor unions, governments and law firms representing plan participants in pension litigation. He is an Enrolled Actuary under ERISA and has been a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries for more than 30 years. He has provided actuarial expertise and consulting service to the UAW, the CWA, the AFA, the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers), the IRS, AARP and the EEOC, amongst other organizations.
James Reed and Craig Keizur of Milliman Global Consultants and Actuaries, an international organization of financially and legally independent actuarial and consulting firms represented in more than 100 principal cities worldwide, with a long-standing reputation for excellence, based on experience, expertise and integrity. Mr. Reed and Mr. Keizur are working with our Negotiations Team at costing out medical benefits under Section 29 of the Flight Attendants Agreement.
Mark Richard has just recently been added to our team. He is a labor attorney, who is considered one of the foremost Flight Attendant advisors in the country. Mr. Richard, a college law professor, was the lead strategic advisor to the Southwest Flight Attendants during their recent industry leading negotiations and is a key advisor to the American Airlines Flight Attendants. Mr. Richard was general counsel to the Eastern Flight Attendants during their bankruptcy and strike. Currently he is also representing the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) union in the UAL bankruptcy.
Seham, Seham, Meltz & Petersen, our long time law firm will be handling our bankruptcy legal matters. This firm has represented airline labor groups continuously since 1963, including employees at American, United, Continental, Southwest, Alaska, and Airtran. Their experience with bankruptcy representation spans the proceedings from Continental to more recent cases at United and ATA. This highly respected firm has served PFAA since our inception and is intimately aware of our contract and issues.
However, having exceptional strategists on our side is not enough. We must also have a viable strategic plan in place. Our initial plan has already been developed. We are taking a three pronged approach. First we shall work as hard as we can to maintain as much of our contract and as many jobs as possible. Obviously this is a challenging task. Second we seek to maximize our leverage in bankruptcy court by intelligently advocating for our membership. Bankruptcy courts are often not worker friendly so we are preparing for quite a struggle. Finally, we must be prepared to expose management's offensive and incompetent actions in the public arena. This vengeful management team must treat us fairly or be held accountable.
The most important component of our strategic plan lies not with our superb advisors and our committed leaders. Rather, the key to our success is the activism and unity of the membership. Tough times truly bring out the best in us. Now more than ever we must stand united. Please ignore rumors, stay informed through PFAA communications, and ask questions before rushing to judgment. I am counting on you as much as you are counting on me.
As you may or may not be aware we have received offers of assistance from three unions. IAM, AFA-CWA and TWU have offered to provide our membership with assistance to bolster our position through these challenging times. We will take legitimate help, where needed, that is offered in good faith and without conditions by our colleagues in the labor movement. Our advisors have urged us to carefully scrutinize these offers to make sure they truly benefit our members.
PFAA by no means is closing the door on any offer of assistance. In fact, we are conducting an inquiry into these offers of help. IAM (which represents Continental Flight Attendants) has offered legal and other assistance without at the same time raiding our union. This offer of assistance was conveyed in August and appears to be above board. TWU (which represents Southwest Flight Attendants) has offered strategic advice that we are now evaluating. However, TWU has attempted to raid us and we must look at this contradiction as we make our decision.
AFA-Communication Workers of America has attached conditions to its "unconditional" offer of help. First, in a phone conversation with AFA International President Pat Friend on October 21, 2005, Ms. Friend said that the AFA bankruptcy legal advisors would be the counsel of record in charge instead of working cooperatively with the PFAA team. Second, Ms. Friend requested that PFAA submit a document to AFA-CWA advising that no affiliation/merger talks are being conducted by PFAA with other unions. This request is in reaction to AFA-CWA's protest against TWU concerning which union has the primary right to organize the Northwest Flight Attendants under the AFL-CIO Constitution (Article 21). Lastly, AFA-CWA is actively attempting to raid our union at this most precarious of times.
Any assistance we take must be of the kind and quality that is sincere and unconditional. Obviously, for an offer to be sincere it cannot come from an entity that is at the same time raiding and undermining our union. Moreover, if we elect to take any assistance we must first fully understand under what conditions and promises PFAA will have to make in exchange for such aid.
Sincerely,
Guy D. Meek,
PFAA President
Please review the timeline, ordered by the most recent replies and offers, documented though letters and emails at http://www.pfaa.com/PFAA/Defend/unionsolidarity/Default.asp. We urge you to carefully read these communications, and believe you will conclude we have taken the path offering the best benefits for our collective future.
October 28, 2005
Dear PFAA Flight Attendant:
When you elected me, I promised to be diligent in my leadership and be completely honest with you. As such it is critical that you realize that we are facing incredible obstacles. NWA is seeking horrendous concessionary givebacks and is requesting that the Bankruptcy Court gut our contract, pay, and benefits through the 1113© process. I assure you that your PFAA leadership is up for the fight. It is critical that we keep you fully informed about our union's strategic plans as well as answer the memberships' questions.
We have assembled a nationally recognized team of strategic advisors to assist us. They include the following:
Dan Akins is a Transportation Economist who trained at the London School of Economics. He has recently worked for other large aviation unions at United (AFA-CWA), USAirways (AFA-CWA), American (APFA), as well as Southwest (TWU).
Claude Poulin is a pension actuary who consults nearly exclusively with labor unions, governments and law firms representing plan participants in pension litigation. He is an Enrolled Actuary under ERISA and has been a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries for more than 30 years. He has provided actuarial expertise and consulting service to the UAW, the CWA, the AFA, the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers), the IRS, AARP and the EEOC, amongst other organizations.
James Reed and Craig Keizur of Milliman Global Consultants and Actuaries, an international organization of financially and legally independent actuarial and consulting firms represented in more than 100 principal cities worldwide, with a long-standing reputation for excellence, based on experience, expertise and integrity. Mr. Reed and Mr. Keizur are working with our Negotiations Team at costing out medical benefits under Section 29 of the Flight Attendants Agreement.
Mark Richard has just recently been added to our team. He is a labor attorney, who is considered one of the foremost Flight Attendant advisors in the country. Mr. Richard, a college law professor, was the lead strategic advisor to the Southwest Flight Attendants during their recent industry leading negotiations and is a key advisor to the American Airlines Flight Attendants. Mr. Richard was general counsel to the Eastern Flight Attendants during their bankruptcy and strike. Currently he is also representing the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) union in the UAL bankruptcy.
Seham, Seham, Meltz & Petersen, our long time law firm will be handling our bankruptcy legal matters. This firm has represented airline labor groups continuously since 1963, including employees at American, United, Continental, Southwest, Alaska, and Airtran. Their experience with bankruptcy representation spans the proceedings from Continental to more recent cases at United and ATA. This highly respected firm has served PFAA since our inception and is intimately aware of our contract and issues.
However, having exceptional strategists on our side is not enough. We must also have a viable strategic plan in place. Our initial plan has already been developed. We are taking a three pronged approach. First we shall work as hard as we can to maintain as much of our contract and as many jobs as possible. Obviously this is a challenging task. Second we seek to maximize our leverage in bankruptcy court by intelligently advocating for our membership. Bankruptcy courts are often not worker friendly so we are preparing for quite a struggle. Finally, we must be prepared to expose management's offensive and incompetent actions in the public arena. This vengeful management team must treat us fairly or be held accountable.
The most important component of our strategic plan lies not with our superb advisors and our committed leaders. Rather, the key to our success is the activism and unity of the membership. Tough times truly bring out the best in us. Now more than ever we must stand united. Please ignore rumors, stay informed through PFAA communications, and ask questions before rushing to judgment. I am counting on you as much as you are counting on me.
As you may or may not be aware we have received offers of assistance from three unions. IAM, AFA-CWA and TWU have offered to provide our membership with assistance to bolster our position through these challenging times. We will take legitimate help, where needed, that is offered in good faith and without conditions by our colleagues in the labor movement. Our advisors have urged us to carefully scrutinize these offers to make sure they truly benefit our members.
PFAA by no means is closing the door on any offer of assistance. In fact, we are conducting an inquiry into these offers of help. IAM (which represents Continental Flight Attendants) has offered legal and other assistance without at the same time raiding our union. This offer of assistance was conveyed in August and appears to be above board. TWU (which represents Southwest Flight Attendants) has offered strategic advice that we are now evaluating. However, TWU has attempted to raid us and we must look at this contradiction as we make our decision.
AFA-Communication Workers of America has attached conditions to its "unconditional" offer of help. First, in a phone conversation with AFA International President Pat Friend on October 21, 2005, Ms. Friend said that the AFA bankruptcy legal advisors would be the counsel of record in charge instead of working cooperatively with the PFAA team. Second, Ms. Friend requested that PFAA submit a document to AFA-CWA advising that no affiliation/merger talks are being conducted by PFAA with other unions. This request is in reaction to AFA-CWA's protest against TWU concerning which union has the primary right to organize the Northwest Flight Attendants under the AFL-CIO Constitution (Article 21). Lastly, AFA-CWA is actively attempting to raid our union at this most precarious of times.
Any assistance we take must be of the kind and quality that is sincere and unconditional. Obviously, for an offer to be sincere it cannot come from an entity that is at the same time raiding and undermining our union. Moreover, if we elect to take any assistance we must first fully understand under what conditions and promises PFAA will have to make in exchange for such aid.
Sincerely,
Guy D. Meek,
PFAA President
Please review the timeline, ordered by the most recent replies and offers, documented though letters and emails at http://www.pfaa.com/PFAA/Defend/unionsolidarity/Default.asp. We urge you to carefully read these communications, and believe you will conclude we have taken the path offering the best benefits for our collective future.
