Association of Flight Attendants-CWA

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) today issued the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced the possibility that airlines could allow passengers to make cell phone calls:

“Passengers overwhelmingly reject cell phone use in the aircraft cabin. The FCC should not proceed with this proposal.

Due to a shooting in LAX this morning, departures were stopped, LAX-bound flights that had not yet taken off were held at their originating airports and terminals 1, 2, and 3 were closed. Arriving flights were directed to a remote terminal and road closures by law enforcement have prevented people, in some cases, from leaving the airport. One TSA officer is reported to have died and several others are injured. The shooter is in police custody.

On October 31, a special Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) committee released final recommendations on expanded use of portable electronic devices (PEDs) in the aircraft cabin. Prior to the FAA announcement, AFA International President Veda Shook attended a briefing by FAA Administrator Michael Huerta.

In a September 16 announcement to their flying partners, Republic Airways Holdings Flight Attendant activists from bases across the system launched a campaign for AFA-CWA representation. If a sufficient number of official authorization cards are signed by Republic Airlines, Shuttle America, and Chautauqua Airlines Flight Attendants—those who make up Republic Airways Holdings, an election with AFA on the ballot will be triggered. 

"In 1945, five brave Stewardesses working for United Airlines formed the first union for Airline Stewardesses. Ada Brown Greenfield, Frances Hall, Edith Lauterbach, Sally Thometz and Sally Watt Keenan named their union the Air Line Stewardess Association (ALSA). This was the beginning of our union, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. The foundation they laid has allowed us to build the profession we now call Flight Attendant. In honor of our founders, October 1st will be the official AFA-CWA Founders Day in which we will pause around the world to remember our Founding Mothers and reflect upon their contributions to our profession."
- AFA-CWA Constitution & Bylaws, Section I.R.

We know that disasters can change lives in so many ways. While we can’t stop destructive events like the Colorado floods from happening, we can, as a union, assist members in their recovery effort. After September 11th, AFA established a disaster fund to aid our members who were placed in harm’s way. AFA members whose primary residence is in a federally-declared disaster area, and who have suffered financial loss and/or dislocation, are eligible for $200.00 from the AFA-CWA Disaster Relief Fund. It is a gift made possible by the generosity of your fellow AFA sisters and brothers.

September 24, 2013

Dear AFA Member:

The AFA-CWA Board of Directors (BOD) is the highest governing body of our union, consisting of the officers who are elected by members at each airline and base or Local Council. Directly-elected Flight Attendants set the priorities and objectives of our union. Yesterday, these leaders came together in special session to address timely policy issues and objectives for our union.