The independent Association of Professional Flight Attendants represents cabin crew at American Airlines. They have been dysfunctional for years and to Sara Nelson, the supposed ‘most powerful flight attendant in America,’ they look like a juicy target for her Association of Flight Attendants which is affiliated with the Communications Workers of America and AFL-CIO.
American Airlines has been promising flight attendants face masks that match their uniforms, but has been slow to deliver. For now they have to wear their own. Of course it was only late March when the airline stopped disciplining flight attendants who wore masks.
The AFA-CWA is now mailing masks to American Airlines flight attendants. I’ve been sent multiple photos of these masks.
Former APFA President Lori Bassani has asked American flight attendants to report if they’ve received AFA masks. It’s unclear why certain flight attendants have received them while others have not. There was some speculation that they went to cabin crew who had signed ‘raid cards’ supporting AFA’s representation of flight attendants at the airline, however that does not appear to be the case.
Update: The AFA’s Taylor Garland acknowledges that “a few American Flight Attendants got the[ masks]” suggesting that they went to legacy US Airways flight attendants who are “lifetime members of our union.” She characterized the masks as “a simple thank you.”
Then, in a subsequent statement, she suggests the masks were sent to flight attendants who opted into a healthcare task force and not to others.
I LOVE it! A lifetime member of a great union AFA. I miss them.
In April, AFA created a form to allow Flight Attendants to sign up to potentially volunteer to help in hospitals throughout the country during the COVID-19 outbreak. 156 American Airlines Flight Attendants signed up to help on the AFA website.
The volunteer program, in which APFA, AFA, and TWU were involved, never went anywhere after the government refused to offer adequate protection for our Flight Attendants. As a thank you, AFA sent approximately 2,000 Flight Attendants masks as a thank you for expressing interest on the AFA website.
APFA did not promote the program or this page of their website; the Flight Attendants signed up on their own.
I’ve attached the communication from AFA, as well as a screen shot of the form. https://www.afacwa.org/flight_attendant_volunteer_medical_assistance_force
Gary Leff is at it again with unnecessary hysteria. The same hysteria created by former APFA President; Lori Bassani and her political allies who refuse to acknowledge there’s a better way to do the business of the union.
There is no raid. The merger between LUS and LAA was announced in 2013 and there was no raid. Seven years later still no raid. Any notion of a raid is paranoia.
The fact is Lori Bassani spent union time and dollars on a committee to fight a raid that was never in the horizon.
These masks are for those FAs who signed up as volunteers for the “AFA Health Force”. The call for those volunteers was back in March 2020.
The reality is people like Lori Bassani are trying to remain relevant by creating a story that keeps her name in print.
We have serious issues confronting our work force and frankly we don’t have time for unnecessary hysteria created by armatures.
Gary Leff has proven to be an unreliable source for information.
Well said, Deborah. I still miss AFA.
AA FA’s that did not participate in the program have recieved masks. Thats is a blatant privacy violation period. There is absolutely no reason for AFA to have APFA members addresses that did not participate in the surge program. 110% wrong and 110% a violation of APFA members privacy, plain and simple.
There is no shares address list among the unions.
The only thing here that is blatant is the inability of Lori Bassani to let go
of the unfounded notion there is a raid.
We have serious issues with a potential furlough in the horizon. Smaller minds will take the easy way out by claiming there’s an unfounded raid. Those in leadership who are not blinded or held back by “business as usual” are focused on fully preparing their members for this changing and shrinking industry.
Effective leadership leads all its members without prejudice;; they don’t cry foul over seating arrangements nor do they attempt to create dissension over non issues.
Whatever….the excuses are non stop. The proof is in the pudding. APFA members addresses were given out period! Nothing you can….spin or meaningless excuses can or won’t change the fact that FA’s at AA that didnt participate recieved masks from AFA period. The rhetoric that is spewed in defense of AFA is old and worn out, this all coming from a current BP for United. The excuse for this horrendous blatant violation of personal info is a violation period!! The United FA’s are pissed and we are tired of the bull$%#@ period.
The best advice:
Stay away from AFA. UAL fa’s are still waiting for certain provisions in our contract ratified six years ago (by a questionable small margin)to be implemented. Our current contract expires in less than a year! So we will never see several provisions affecting pay become operative. And, AFA will never negotiate penalties against UA for violating the contract. Contract negotiations take more years (up to anywhere from 5 to 10) than the term of the contract! Insane!
Stay Away From AFA.
nothing could be worse than APFA. AFA protected our jobs at USair, they had our backs. IF you contact union offices at APFA the first question is , did you contact your supervisor? We never did. Our supervisors left us alone, we did our jobs. Very few people at USair wrote anyone up.
We were all equal on the plane, not oh , the purser crap. The captain knew all of us. The work environment was much more cohesive. I contact the union, find out what procedures are and then contact the company. I have a new supervisor. with no notification. She does not know me. I have uniform issues that my old supervisor knew about and helped me. Why would I contact somebody who has probably never been a flight attendant, and may lose their job soon.
Lizard King, are the AA f/a whom you are referring to legacy US? If so, AFA has had our info since we were hired and as lifetime members, they still have it. I’m was proud to be a member of AFA and after this latest election I feel like APFA might have a chance to become a union for the members, all the members, instead of only some. I am encouraged that AFA, APFA and TWU are collaborating now, during this pandemic, and hopeful that it will continue. Stronger together, strength in numbers!