SECTION I

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

A. Union Management

The International President will be responsible for discharging all affairs of the Union in a manner that will preclude discrimination based on age, color, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation.

B. Office

A continued effort should be made to fully staff all departments where shortages exist and take steps to fully mechanize all department functions affecting flight attendants. Liberal and fair working conditions, wages and practices should be continued with the Union's employees so that AFA-CWA may be an example of enlightened employer-employee relationships. A program should be initiated of staffing departments at a junior level in order to train a portion of the Union's employees. At least one (1) International Officer shall be available to the International Office except during Board of Directors meetings and meetings of the Executive Board.

C. Field Offices

The International President shall undertake a program to provide office facilities for Local Council Presidents located in the respective domiciles of each Council and for the Master Executive Council Presidents located in the city where their respective corporate headquarters are established, wherever possible, and establish the required monetary contribution toward the support of such Field Offices under applicable monthly council allowance policy, and policy providing for reimbursement of Master Executive Council operating expenses.

1. In the event of a merger involving one or more AFA-represented carriers, offices may be maintained in a city(ies) determined by the MEC(s) until ratification of a merger contract. (Board 2008)

D. Assistants to the International President

1. Up to five (5) positions may be established for full-time Assistants to the International President, appointed by the International President with the approval of the Executive Board. The Assistants are to be responsible to and assist the International President in supervising the affairs of the Union, seeing to the discharge of Union functions and coordination of its activities, supervising managerial functions and duties of the Union and to further the objectives of the Board of Directors and the Executive Board.

2. The duties of an Assistant to the International President may include, but not be restricted to the following:

a. Assignment as a field representative.

b. Availability to Master Executive Council officers on a supply and demand basis to assist in Master Executive Council administration and/or Master Executive Council organization.

c. Assignment to special projects in the discharge of Union business.

d. Coordination of International Office training programs.

Whenever the job requirements indicate, such position shall be restricted to a member in good standing. All efforts should be made to fill the position of Assistant to the International President with a qualified member in good standing.

3. The salary of the position will be determined by the International President of the Union.

E. Mail

Certified mail-return receipt requested may be utilized for all mailings which presently require registered mail-return receipt requested.

　

F. Training

1. Within sixty (60) days of notification of a category election, Basic Leadership Training shall be made available for one (1) newly elected representative from each Local Executive Council and Master Executive Council. The cost of such training shall be allocated from the Basic Leadership Training budget. Newly organized carriers will have one (1) space at the next Basic Leadership training program from each LEC and MEC regardless of Election Category, the cost of such training to be borne by the International Office. Additional representatives who desire training will be permitted to attend provided that:

(a) there is space available in the class, and

(b) the cost of such training will be borne by the Local or Master Executive Council that desires the representative be trained.

At the discretion of the Local Council President or Master Executive Council President, training slots may be given to another Council.

2. The ISR Field Training Budget shall be adequately funded to cover all expenses associated with training budgets for councils with under 750 flight attendants, except for flight pay loss and travel expenses.

3. Training seminars can be conducted by qualified representatives, including experienced Local Council Presidents, appointed by the International President whenever possible and practical.

4. The International Office shall also provide additional training to prepare new officers or update current officers with emphasis on day-to-day Local Council problems.

5. Newly elected Local Council Presidents and newly elected Master Executive Council Presidents will be given pertinent information to facilitate their transition to their new office. This information can be provided by the Master Executive Council President and/or her/his designee, and will include, but will not be limited to, an updated phone list of the member carrier's Officers, committee persons and Board of Directors phone list.

6. A Parliamentary Procedure Session shall be scheduled in conjunction with the annual Board of Directors Meeting.

G. Officer and Administration Transition

In order to maintain the continuous representation of our members following any election and to help facilitate as smooth a transition from one administration to another, the following procedures have been set into place.

Following each election, it is the responsibility of each elected officer (outgoing and incoming) to maintain the highest level of representation to all AFA members. All elected officers are charged with ensuring that all union files, equipment and assets are protected and returned to the union for safekeeping to be turned over to the incoming President once that President takes office.

1. Administrative:

a. Communication: With the certification of election results, the outgoing officers will at once include the incoming officers on all correspondence between AFA-CWA and the Company, the International Onion, the MEC and any other relevant parties. Nothing in these procedures prevents the current LECP/MECP from holding in confidence any and all information gained by virtue of a signed confidentiality agreement.

b. Meetings: The two months following the certification of election provides an ideal opportunity for the incoming officers to attend meetings that may enhance their knowledge of the organization and union/management relations. It is the responsibility of the current officers to ensure that the newly elected officers are invited to attend all such meetings, as long as the local budget allows.

c. Airline Management: At a minimum, a letter of introduction will be sent from the current officers to all appropriate management advising them of the election results and the term of office.

d. Union Activists: A complete list of all committee members will be provided by the current leadership to the newly elected officers. This list will include all known AFA equipment in the possession of each individual committee member. In addition, a copy of the communication from the current LECP to the committee members advising them that all equipment and files are the property of the union and must be returned when they complete their term will be included as part of this list.

e. In-Person Meeting: No later than 30 days prior to the start of the new administration, a joint meeting will be held between the outgoing LECP/MECP and the incoming LECP/MECP. During this meeting a review of all administrative issues and a complete accounting of the Union's assets will be provided by the outgoing LECP/MECP to the incoming LECP/MECP. Special attention will be given to briefing the newly elected officers on the status of all outstanding grievances.

f. Contact Information: AFA International will contact elected representatives for current mailing, telephone, and e-mail information to ensure they get on the appropriate distribution lists.

2. Union Assets:

a. Budget: An accurate budget report will be provided by the International Secretary-Treasurer to the newly elected officers no later than 30 days prior to the start of the new term of office.

b. Union Property: A full accounting and inventory list of all union property assigned to that LEC/MEC will be supplied to the newly elected officers by the current officers no later than 30 days prior to the start of the term of office. These items as applicable shall include, but not be limited to:

i. All property purchased by the union, for example: office furniture, office equipment (for use in and out of the office), cell phone, pagers, all communication devices, etc.

ii. All Union files - (files maintained in the union office and out of the union office by committee members or other officers) These files shall include but not be limited to: negotiations notes, grievances, membership lists, activists lists, and general files.

iii. No officer will dispose of any AFA property (files, furniture, electronic devices, etc.) without the prior knowledge and consent of the AFA International Secretary-Treasurer.

iv. Access to the Union website (excluding password which will be supplied on the last day of the month prior to the start of the term of office).

v. Phones and phone lines, both for in office use and use by committee members.

vi. Credit Cards.

vii. Membership lists, including any and all email lists.

viii. Access to the union bulletin board and union lock box.

ix. A complete listing to include vendor, address, monthly payment and monthly due date of all fixed expenses. A copy of a current statement if available will be provided with each fixed expense. For example: monthly rent, cell phone bills, office phone lines, office equipment lease, etc. It is also understood that the outgoing LECP will brief the incoming LECP on expectations for flight pay loss (FPL) for the council.

　

3. Mediation

At any time, either the current LECP/MECP or the LECP/MECP-elect can petition the International President for the services of a neutral mediator to resolve any conflict.

　

H. Local Council Meetings

1. At least one (1) Local Council meeting will be held prior to the Board of Directors meeting to discuss agenda items for the Board of Directors meeting.

2. Every effort will be made to hold one (1) Local Council meeting prior to any Master Executive Council meeting to discuss agenda items for the Master Executive Council meeting.

3. Local Councils located at the same domicile shall hold at least one (1) joint membership meeting each year.

I. Establishment of Local Councils

1. For the purpose of establishing more than one (1) Local Council on an airline or establishing a new Local Council, the membership on the carrier in the Local Councils should meet both of the following criteria:

a. Total membership on the airline should exceed four hundred (400) active members in good standing.

b. Each Local Council should have over one hundred (100) active members in good standing.

2. In accordance with Article III.C.1.c. and Article III.C.3.d., each domicile with less than one hundred (100) members in good standing, shall be encouraged to elect a Local Council Representative.

3. In the event the Master Executive Council feels it is necessary to establish Local Councils outside these criteria, the Master Executive Council may petition the International President.

J. International Historian

There shall be a position of International Historian charged with preserving, collating, and safeguarding flight attendant historical items.

　

K. Constitution and Bylaws

Copies of the Constitution & Bylaws shall be available to the membership through their Local Councils. Distribution of the revised Constitution & Bylaws to the Local Councils shall be accomplished by the International Office within one hundred-twenty (120) days of receipt of the transcript from the Board of Directors meeting.

　

L Awards

　

1. Edith Lauterbach Merit Award

An AFA-CWA Edith Lauterbach Merit Award will be conferred on an outstanding union worker each year, when possible. The recipient and award will be determined by a Presidential committee.

　

2. Ada Brown Greenfield Lifetime Achievement Award

Ada Brown Greenfield Lifetime Achievement Award will honor a Member at or near retirement who has distinguished her or himself through a lifetime of contribution to the advancement of our Union.

Award:

The Ada Brown Greenfield Lifetime Achievement Award is not to be awarded on an annual basis, rather only when a deserving Member is identified. Not more than one award shall be conferred each year.

Nominee Criteria:

Exhibit a lifetime of achievement rather than a single contribution, no matter how monumental;

Be a role model and an inspiration to colleagues through her/his work for our Union;

Be esteemed for her/his high level of professional and personal integrity;

　

Eligibility:

The lifetime achievement being honored must meet at least two of the following measures:

Has written or published papers, books, articles, etc., relating to our Union and our profession;

Has been active in promotion and/or dissemination of information about the flight attendant profession, trade unionism, or civil aviation with an emphasis on cabin crew history;

Has pioneered creative and unique opportunities to further membership involvement in their Union;

Has been active in community based groups where knowledge of flight attendant history, civil aviation history and/or labor movement history is shared;

Has twenty (20) years or more of significant contribution to our Union as an elected officer, appointed committee member and/or volunteer.

The Executive Board retains jurisdiction over exceptions to the eligibility requirements.

Nominations:

Nominations will be considered in years when the Board of Directors meets in regular session.

Nominations will be accepted until November 1.

Nominees must receive a minimum of two (2) nominations in the form of a letter, not to exceed two (2) pages submitted to the International President.

No individuals may nominate her or himself.

Selection Process:

In years when there is a nominee(s) for the Ada Brown Greenfield Lifetime Achievement Award, the International President will notify in writing and provide copies of all submissions to the Executive Board of nominees by November 15. All nominations will be considered by the Executive Board. A simple majority of Executive Board members will be required to ratify selection. The International President may break a tie. The Executive Board will confer during the next regular scheduled conference call following the close of nominations.

Upon ratification by the Executive Board, the International President will notify the honoree immediately in writing.

Presentation of Award:

The Ada Brown Greenfield Lifetime Achievement Award shall be presented during the regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors.

The award shall be a suitable gift, in keeping with the philosophy of our Union and the focus of the recipient's contribution to our Union.

3. Terri Owen Government Affairs Activist Award

The Terri Owen Government Affairs Activist Award is established to honor an AFA-CWA member whose actions have significantly contributed to the advancement and protection of our profession and our union through dedication to AFA-CWA Government Affairs Programs.

Award

The award will be presented at an annual Board of Directors meeting.

Nominations and Selection

Nominations for the Terri Owen Government Affairs Activist Award may come from Int'l Officers, MEC and LEC Presidents, MEC Legislative Affairs Committee Chairs and the Director of the AFA-CWA Government Affairs Department.

Nominations and the selection of the Award recipient will be governed by the Political/Legislative Policy Committee in consultation with the AFA-CWA International President.

Criteria and Eligibility

Criteria for this Activist Award shall require that the nominee have accomplished two or more of the following criteria in order to be nominated and receive the award:

Created and implemented a FlightPac fundraising campaign.

Shown outstanding service as a chair of an MEC or LEC Legis. Affairs Committee.

Participated extensively and successfully in lobbying for AFA-CWA's legislative agenda.

Demonstrated continuous active participation in campaigns of AFA-CWA endorsed candidates for public office.

Served on national, state or local AFL-CIO Organizations such as Executive Councils. Executive Boards, Labor Councils, Labor Federations or labor-sponsored legislative groups.

Conducted successful voter registration programs at AFA-CWA councils.

4. Air Safety Award (SeePages 105-106)

5. C.B. Lansing Award for Heroism (See Page106)

6. Peggy Price LEC EAP Award (See Page 138)

　

M. Scholarships

1. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Scholarship Fund was establish in 1994 to provide financial assistance to dependents of flight attendants as our commitment to education. A $5,000 contribution is made to the fund on the first day of business of January each year beginning in 1997. See Scholarship Brochure for further details.

2. The James Morris Memorial Scholarship Fund was established to assist AFA-CWA students attending the National Labor College. A contribution of $3,000 will be made annually to the scholarship fund.

N. AFA-CWA, through the International Officers, Master Executive Councils and Local Councils, shall strive to maintain and strengthen our alliances with other unions and the AFL-CIO at all levels of the labor movement (airline, city, region, and national).

O. Where a member desires to accept a position with the AFL-CIO and the International President determines that acceptance of such position will be in the best interest of AFA-CWA, the International President, working with the Master Executive Council President at the carrier, will assist the member in obtaining a union leave, which provides for the retention and accrual of seniority at the carrier.

P. At all meetings of the Board of Directors, guest speakers and presentations will be limited to the first day of the meeting.

Q. Recognition for Local Councils

A Local Council achieving 98% of dues paying members shall be recognized in the year this is met with a certificate of recognition to be presented by the presiding Board of Directors. (Board 2009)