Monday, December 24, 2012

Best Wishes for a Prosperous New Year!


 'Tis a Joyous Season indeed with the announcement from the company that even though they did not receive the 1550 s-UA voluntary furloughs or partnership awards (to make up the difference), there will be no involuntary furloughs for the s-UA flight attendants! "Thank you" to all who took the voluntary furloughs/partnerships and to the Company! Congratulations also to ALPA and our pilots upon ratifying the first Joint Contract of any labor group on the property!

                                                  ONE MORE MAKES 4
 We note with sadness and dismay that the AFA International office has chosen to target another s-UA flight attendant with Article X violations, "disloyalty" to the Union. The UNITED 3 now becomes the UNITED 4. How many more before the membership stands up and demands reform and democracy? Lets start with changes to Article X of the C&B and the absurd empowerment it gives to the unelected officers at the highest level of leadership in our Union to persecute its dues paying members in good standing. Its time for change in 2013.

                        REFORM AND DEMOCRACY IN 2013

It is with this goal in mind that the following nomination and election cycles for ALL LECs in Election Category III are provided for flight attendants at these councils to demand of their representatives, whom they pay with their dues money, to support direct election of master executive and international officers, term limits, and full monthly online disclosure of all financial matters at EVERY level of the organization.  The time to take back OUR union is NOW, with THIS election cycle. 
 LEC officers will be held accountable for their actions and votes at next year’s Board of Directors’ meeting in February.  Agenda items will once again be placed on the ballot calling for an immediate change to the election of master executive council and international officers, but most local officers, seeking a lucrative career at the company-within-a-company, otherwise known as the union, dare not challenge the status quo.  There are too many individuals with out sized egos seeking higher office who do not want to let a bunch of "know-nothing" flight attendants derail their ambition.  Since records are not made available to flight attendants detailing how LECP “representatives” voted at the Board of Directors meeting, if the agenda items calling for the changes demanded to give flight attendants the respect and power they deserve, do not pass, then ALL incumbent candidates must be voted out of local council office.
An organization that has granted voting RIGHTS to their membership as a whole for officers at ALL levels of an organization is an organization that has earned the PRIVILEGE of representing a particular work group.  A labor group that restricts its membership from voting because they may not like the results has no business claiming they represent ANYONE but themselves.
                    FIRST UP IN 2013....................
will be elections in the newly created s-UA domicile in Houston, IAHSW.
Current s-UA reform candidates at IAH are: Elizabeth Saxon for LECP, Michael Contorno for LECVP, and Ricardo Miyares for LEC Sec. Treasurer.  They are staunch supporters of positive changes that afford ALL flight attendants the respect and power they deserve moving forward, TOGETHER!  
If you are based at s-UA IAH, ballots will be mailed to your home address on January 9, 2013. Polls open January 13, 2013 and voting will close January 31, 2013 with ballots being counted the same day. Make sure the AFA has your current address in order to receive a ballot! If you have questions or need to request a duplicate ballot call AFA-CWA Ballot Help Line at 800-424-2401 extension #706.
              NEXT UP IN 2013..................
HKGSW
Nominations    11/14/2012 - 12/20/2012
Elections           02/13/2013 - 03/13/2013

ORDSW
Nominations    01/07/2013 - 01/30/2013
Elections           03/04/2013 - 03/26/2013

SEASW
Nominations    01/30/2013 - 02/20/2013
Elections           03/18/2013 - 04/09/2013

SFOSW
Nominations    01/30/2013 - 02/20/2013
Elections      
    03/18/2013 - 04/09/2013 


MAKE 2013 THE YEAR WE ALL MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER IN OUR REFORMED UNION, THE AFA!

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Saturday, December 1, 2012

Free Speech and Union Democracy


 
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Union democracy (also known as labor democracy) is a school of thought within organized labor which argues that sound unionism requires adherence to principles and practices of democratic trade unionism; that internal democracy and greater membership control make unions stronger and better able to fight for the rights and interests of working people. The goal is to prevent the manifestation of the so-called iron law of oligarchy: that all forms of organization, regardless of how democratic they may be at the start, eventually and inevitably develop into oligarchies with swollen bureaucracies".

"Principles include:
  • Frequent, contested elections, with rank-and-file members regularly challenging incumbents, and resultant turnover in officers and representatives, with all candidates having equal access to membership lists before elections, including the right to copy the list.
  • Open publications, with newsletters and websites publishing all members' views, including those critical of officials, representatives, or union policy, and the union encouraging open and free debate and discussion of issues and candidates; with election candidates having equal use of union publications and means of communication (website, newsletter, e-mail list) to put out their campaign material..............."


 If the AFA is truly a democratic union as they claim to be, then ask yourself, why persecute the "United 3" for expressing dissent? The answer to that question lies in the definition of oligarchy:
"Oligarchy  is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with a small number of people".


Take Action Now!
IT'S TIME FOR THE MEMBERSHIP TO TAKE BACK OUR UNION. VOTE FOR CHANGE IN YOUR LOCAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS!  AND SIGN THE PETITION "FREE THE 3!"
                      

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