AFA House of Cards........Starting to Collapse

Earlier we blogged about the unprecedented flurry of activity germinating from the corporate offices of the House of AFA. It seemed, as though, the Legal Department went into overdrive in a massive attempt to mitigate the possible hostilities from the membership; about AFA's lack of a strategy and lack of communication. AFA Officials cried foul; "Ignore" and "anti-union" in hopes of inciting the membership to disregard the blogs and statements of the few. However, the few felt compelled to get the facts and information out for you to decide for yourself...... Not only is the membership listening and discussing their concerns about AFA, but the officials of AFA have now been forced to deal with a more and more disillusioned membership. Thousands of NWA flight attendants have turned to the blogs for the information and knowledge AFA has failed to provide!! AFA response: a MASSIVE e-mail assault from AFA during the past 3 weeks; unheard of since AFA raided the Northwest property!!

The House of Cards Built by AFA

Are they telling you everything or just what they want you to hear??? Without a doubt, only the spoon-fed information they wish you to have..... Is their House of Cards slowly collapsing around them????

1. They don't want to talk about what Delta has in their "policy manual". They don't want you to know that Delta flight attendants have substantially what you have in your contract! Sure, some things in NWA contract are a little better and some in the Delta "policy manual" remain better but by and large, for a "non-union" property, Delta does pretty well. Are you now starting to wonder is my union worth $500 per year??? That is just the feeling of doubt they don't want you to have.

2. AFA does not want to discuss the campaign loss of Compass Airlines flight attendants. Why is this important?? PFAA had negotiated on behalf of the "newly created" Compass Airlines flight attendants. PFAA believed, as well as the NWA flight attendants, that the most junior NWA flight attendants may be forced into Compass. In order to protect those junior NWA flight attendants, PFAA negotiated the right to represent those flight attendants. When AFA raided the property, they "gave away" representing the Compass flight attendants and then turned around and lost the recent campaign to organize the Compass flight attendants!! Strategically, this may prove to be a major faux pas in the future; as "non-union" Compass flights possibly take more and more of the "union" NWA flying!!

3. AFA does not want to discuss the Delta campaign. After multiple losses at attempts to organize the Delta flight attendants, AFA is just not certain they can pull this off alone. AFA seems doubtful that the Delta flight attendants will fall victim to the AFA campaign of fear and rhetoric of uncertainty! Didn't work in the past and probably will not work today. Afterall, the AFA negotiated contracts are not much better (if at all) to what the Delta flight attendants work. Even what Pat Friend said, back in 1999, appears to be pretty accurate even today; "Delta has always kept its pay and benefits equal to or a little better than the union carriers." Suppose that is why AFA did not want you to have the Delta files?? And why they went into panic mode when we released them here? Not much of a reason to vote for AFA. What about SCOPE? Current events look like Delta CEO Richard "No Deal" Anderson keeps his word and is "watching" out for his employees and their desire to be fairly integrated into a seniority list; hence the more junior Delta pilots demand for ratio integration rather than more senior NWA pilot demand for date of hire!! Maybe AFA fears are unwarranted?? You decide.

4. AFA Officials are counting on YOU. If the Delta Campaign fails, AFA is counting on you to organize Delta in the event of a merger. They may not say it directly, but AFA implies that with our 8,000 union members (maybe, just maybe, we can convince 3,000 Delta (25%) ) and keep AFA on the property. What they won't talk about is many within their own NWA ranks who remain disillusioned with AFA and the BIGGER is not necessarily better theory! What about a third party union? or a more democratic union model? They will not talk about the multitude of possibilities in your hands.

5. AFA will not talk about political appointments and their good ol' boys politics. Wonder how some of the former union officials (whom you did not elect to AFA) are speaking for you?? Sort of AFA's way of paying back those who sought to raid PFAA, and bring AFA on property!! Retrum, Reilley, Campbell, Offerle, just off the top of my head. Speaking of Danny "lapdog" Campbell, check this out regarding his Delta campaign www.deltafa.org/afa_member_welcome_page.htm Does anyone doubt he is Pat Friend's new "best friend"?? Remember, it was not too long ago, that AFA failed to win a representational election on property between IBT and AFA. Remember the scare tactics? Remember the fear-mongering? It's not the time? Work with what we have? Records in a shoe box? No office? Corruption? Sound familiar? Both unions were cut of the same cloth.....what about a truly democratic union? One that listens to the membership? One who communicates freely and without fear. Does such a union exist? You decide.

6. AFA will not discuss your dues going up. The BOD meeting in October finalized the CWA deal and your dues go up June 1, 2008 by 10%. Heard anything from AFA on this, other than a subtle mention?? WHY??? They are fearful during this contentious time, that during your AFA negotiated pay cuts, their dues increase! Formerly, nearly bankrupt AFA, wishes to keep sucking up the CWA organizing funds and had no choice but to agree to the dues increase! To your detriment but you have a choice!

Yes, the House of Cards is beginning to collapse........

7. The newly appointed IMPACT chairs for AFA have both resigned. Just a short 5 days ago, via AFA e-News, Kevin Griffith unveiled the IMPACT committee. Are the petty politics once again ruining the strongest "union for flight ttendants by flight attendants"?? With the sudden departure of both Todd and Sean, Guess, all is not cozy in the House built by AFA. Maybe AFA will ask me now, if I would like to be SFO coordinator?? Seems I volunteered a month ago for the position and never received a phone call from Todd Hurlbut. Think AFA picks and chooses who they want? hehehehe Probably more resignations to come, stay tuned.

8. AFA will not communicate the truth about your MEC meetings. Did you know Guy Meek and Joan Prince Crandall spoke on the SCOPE issue last Friday? Any mention from your union officials?? Why the silence? Are they afraid of appearing incompetent regarding the SCOPE language? Who was at that meeting??? And who was absent??? These are IMPORTANT issues and you should know the truth.....



When you build a House of Cards, under a wobbly foundation; when the walls start collapsing, there is always SILENCE, PANIC .....and then a BIG.........