Our
afa-CWA (association of flight attendants-Communication Workers of
America) Delta activists tell us that we need a union.
They have been trained by the union to have talking points and
quick responses to questions that we may have.
However, we need to keep in mind that these afa-Delta activists are
sales people. They want you to
buy into their sales pitch and vote for a union that will put them into
power. They have something to gain, and it is quite a bit different from
simply meeting some altruistic need.
Our
afa-Delta activists are supported by paid outsiders from other airlines
who tell us that we need to join the afa-CWA.
However, no one tells us that these outsiders are paid 92 Flight
Pay Loss (FPL) hours and expenses to come and work on the Delta campaign.
It seems there is more than just altruism motivating them as well.
We
believe that neither of these groups are the best source of information.
Both the afa-Delta activists and afa-CWA outsiders are biased.
Both groups are receiving or expect to receive union benefits and
positions should their campaign result in a successful election.
As
we gather information to make our decision, we believe that we should
bypass the groups that financially gain from this campaign and go straight
to the line afa-CWA represented flight attendants. We see them in
concourses, hotels, and vans. We expect that they will be more truthful
about how the afa-CWA really operates. Ask them how they feel about their
union. To help focus them on
issues that are important to us, we suggest using the following questions
as a starting point.
Dues
or Don’ts
1)
What
are your dues? We hear
that they are going up to $516 per year.
2)
How
long have you been paying dues? - - - Wow. That is a lot of money!
3)
Did
you support the afa-CWA raising your dues to $43.00 per month? Did you get
a vote on the raise?
4)
Do
you think that the afa-CWA is careful about how it spends your money?
5)
Do
you feel that you have adequate input on how your money will be spent?
6)
Can
you withhold your dues?
7)
Are
there any consequences for not paying dues?
Communication
1)
Do
you think that the afa-CWA effectively communicates with you?
2)
Do
you think that afa-CWA communication is honest with you?
3)
Do
your phone calls and e-mail to your union representatives get answered
promptly?
4)
When
they do answer your calls and e-mail, do they resolve the issue promptly?
Wages
1)
Have
your wages kept up with inflation?
2)
When
does your contract reopen for wage negotiation?
3)
Were
you aware that Delta flight attendants have already received one raise, a
bonus, and will be receiving another wage increase soon?
Does your union communicate positives about Delta to you or only
negatives?
Scheduling
and
Support
1)
Are
your union offices adequately staffed everyday?
2)
Scheduling
is a big issue for the afa-Delta activists.
Does your union have trained representatives overseeing the
scheduling crew desks on a 24/7 basis?
3)
If
so, does this allow you to challenge a violation of your contract in a
timely manner?
4)
If
not, are you just told to fly it and grieve it later?
5)
Do
your company and your union maintain separate contract interpretation
manuals?
6)
If
you grieve a scheduling conflict, how long does it take to resolve?
Organizing
1)
Do
you know that the afa-CWA is paying your union representatives 93 Flight
Pay Loss (FPL) hours to “volunteer” on the Delta campaign?
2)
Are
things running smoothly enough at your carrier that you can afford to have
these people away from doing your work and helping Delta flight
attendants? Is all the “union” work getting done?
3)
Do
you support the Delta campaign?
4)
Is
it fair that you have to pay for it?
5)
Do
you feel that your can force the afa-CWA to stop organizing Delta, or is
that a decision that you and your fellow union members cannot change?
Contracts
1)
When
does your contract open for renegotiation?
2)
Have
you taken any pay cuts since 9-11? If
so, how many? Did you have a contract when/if you took pay and benefits
cuts?
3)
In
contract negotiations, who gets the upper hand, your company or your
union?
4)
Did
you have any work rules modified since 9-11?
5)
Are
you better of now than you were before 9-11?
6)
Did
the union save your retirement?
afa-CWA
International
1)
Do
you think that your carrier has enough voice in afa-CWA affairs?
2)
Do
you think that the little (big) carriers have too much influence?
3)
Is
your International President an effective leader?
4)
Did
you support taking the afa from a stand alone union to becoming a small
subunit of the Communication Workers of America?
Miscellaneous
1)
Would
you ever run for union office? Why?
Why not?
2)
What
is a scab?
3)
If
there is a strike and a person needs to work to keep their medical
benefits, is it okay to cross a picket line?
4)
How
long does a scab list last?
These
questions should yield a different picture of life under the yoke of the
afa-CWA. It is not the
respect, dignity, and voice that the afa-Delta activists and the paid
outsiders have been promising us.
Now,
you should be prepared for some of the flight attendants to say that they
would never “not have” a union. This is understandable.
They have been trained since probation to believe that they need a
union to protect them. Union
communications are geared to reinforce this dependence.
The
take-away point is how they feel about the afa-CWA.
If the majority of the flight attendants have issues
with the afa-CWA at their respective carriers, we will have those very
same issues if we invite the afa-CWA onto our property.
We
believe that you will find that the afa-CWA is failing its members
already. The afa-CWA is more talk than effective action.
Just because its parent union can pay for flight attendant sales
people and a pretty public relations campaign does not mean that the
afa-CWA is fit to represent us. Remember,
the threat of a union is better than a union - especially one as inept as
the afa-CWA.
Keep
Delta afa-CWA free!
