8.05.21 – [PRESS RELEASE] The Association of Professional Flight Attendants Mourns the Loss of AFL-CIO

Thursday, August 5, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Paul Hartshorn, Jr.
[email protected]

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants Mourns the Loss of AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka

(Euless, TX) – The Association of Professional Flight Attendants, representing the 25,000 Flight Attendants at American Airlines, mourns the loss of AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka.

Richard Trumka began his career as a coal miner in Nemacolin, PA. He obtained his Bachelor of Science at Pennsylvania State University in 1971 and his Juris Doctor from Villanova Law School in 1974. He joined the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) in 1974 as a staff attorney and later became President of UMWA. In 1995, he was nominated to become the Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO and became President in September of 2009.

Julie Hedrick, National President of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, issued the following statement on the passing of Richard Trumka:

“AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka never stopped inspiring workers to organize and mobilize and was an influential voice in America’s Labor Movement. He worked tirelessly to protect workers’ rights, improve workplace safety, and was dedicated to improving the lives of working families. Labor has lost a great advocate. We will honor his memory by carrying on his mission to support and expand the Labor Movement. Our hearts go out to the 56 Unions and the 12.5 million members of the AFL-CIO.”