No Confidence for AA Management’s Business Plan – 5.04.12

Dear Fellow Flight Attendants,

In 1947, the Air Line Stewards and Stewardesses Association was certified as the first bargaining representative for the AA Flight Attendants. Back then, a flight attendant earned $110 a month and flew an average of 115 hours.†
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Here we are, sixty-five years later, and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants stands tall as the largest independent aviation union in the nation representing the 17,000 US-based men and women of American Airlines. We have weathered many storms including the challenges of B-Scale, furloughs and our historic Strike in ’93, as well as the tragedy of 9/11, among them. Our unity is what makes us strong, and when faced with an unprecedented challenge, we always find a way to prevail.

Today, we face a challenge without precedent in our long history. Under the auspices of bankruptcy protection, our employer is attempting to erase 65 years of collective bargaining in a few months time.††

Even prior to appearing in bankruptcy court, my team and I were left with little doubt that a deal was not possible with AA’s negotiating team; they refused to move off their ask. Rearrange the furniture? Yes, they’ll consider it. But real bargaining: not a chance. Even before the most preliminary court hearings, several of us witnessed first-hand exactly what management was trying to do. And now, you’ve seen it too.

Management’s power grab of our contractually bargained pay, work rules and benefits have ramped up considerably over the past two weeks. Using the 1113 process, our company is trying to dismantle everything we have worked so hard to build. They believe that they have the bankruptcy system gamed in such a way that they can get whatever concessions they want from the workforce. And by now, we are all very familiar with their demands.
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In addition to gutting our contract, slashing our pay and terminating our benefits, management is also keen on preventing any sort of consolidation. As we have read in the media for weeks, a handful of Americanís executives are the only people in the industry delusional enough to believe that this airline can emerge from bankruptcy and thrive as a standalone company. A merger with US Airways is not only the most viable plan for American Airlines, it is the only viable plan. Combining our two companies will not only save jobs, salaries and benefits, but strengthen our industry, provide an attractive option to passengers and return American Airlines to a position of prominence.
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US Airways senior management team, along with nearly every single airline analyst, understand the problems at American are systemic. Consolidation is necessary for AA and US Airways to expect to compete with the network carriers. Our company has serious issues, but its workforce is not one.†

The improved network and the synergies provided by a merger between US Airways and American will provide savings and new revenue to help turn this company around. It will allow us all to move forward with fresh team of executives with a viable business plan and a commitment to fair dealing. We have all seen enough of Americanís way of doing business. It is time for a wholesale change.
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Please join me in supporting the proposed merger with US Airways and submitting a vote of ìno confidenceî in the American Airlines business plan by clicking here. You must already be logged into www.apfa.org to be taken directly to the petition. If you are not logged in, please do so then†click the petition link again to sign your name.

In Unity,

Laura Glading
APFA President