May 19, 2011

There have been thousands of articles and reminders published on this web site since June 2000. Yet, very few are more important than this one. Read on.

You should have received a vote packet from the National Mediation Board. I got mine this afternoon. This packet contains your VIN and PIN information that enables you to cast your vote for union representation. The deadline to vote is June 29.

This election and the events that lead up to it are a vast subject. Many JSN readers have extremely strong opinions about this election, as well as what union will ultimately be chosen represent flight attendants at the merged United and Continental carrier.  And that’s a good thing, so long as it’s facts and rationale that direct the voting---and not emotion or social media grandstanding.

Jumpseatnews has always been about keeping things simple, so I'm going to break this down into two easy parts and one supplemental commentary:

1. The unions (where to get info)
2. How to vote (specifics)
3. Commentary: Who I voted for (I've received a lot of questions about this)

The Unions

Unless you've been in a coma, you should know by now that the United/Continental merger has created a single carrier. Because Continental flight attendants are represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and United flight attendants are represented by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), there must be a voting process to decide which union will become the sole bargaining representative for all flight attendants at this newly merged company.

There can only be one union, and you must decide (via this vote) which union that will be.

Before you cast your vote, you ought to become familiar with each union and read very, very carefully the literature and resources they have published. That's the most important thing you can do. Here are the main resources to get you started:

How to Vote

I find it silly when someone feels they need to provide me with flowcharts and multi-step diagrams to tell me how to click a computer mouse or how to type text into a box on a voting screen. A monkey could figure this out. So...I'm going to keep this very simple (and it is):

1. Have your VIN and PIN handy. It was mailed to your address on file with the airline. It's a boring, white, IRS-looking two page letter. If you don't receive it by May 23, you need to request a duplicate in writing.
2. Vote either by phone (877-662-8683) or via: https://www.ballotpoint.com/nmb
3. Whatever method you choose to vote, make sure you follow the process to the end so that your vote is recorded. It's like bidding vacation; don't screw it up.

Important Information

• You cannot change your vote once cast. So choose wisely.
• If voting on the internet, be careful. Those dumb checkboxes on the voting page are too close together. Make sure you don't accidentally check the wrong box and end up with the wrong union!
• If you are voting via telephone and your call is dropped, call back and enter your VIN and PIN to start again.

You're done. Be proud of yourself that you took part in a very significant direction of your career. That, my friends, is what Jumpseatnews is all about. Go have a drink and sit this craziness out until June 29 (when the votes will be counted and the winner announced).

Commentary: Who I Voted For

Many people have asked me which union I will be voting for. I'm not sure why anyone cares what I think, but so many readers have gone ahead and asked me this question during the past few months, I feel like I should respond. Until now, I've never told anyone.

To put it simply, I've decided to vote for The Association of Flight Attendants.

I didn't arrive at this decision lightly, nor do I think that the AFA is the perfect union.

This entire election campaign on both sides has made me sick. Seeing fellow flying partners criticize and attack other flying partners has been just awful. It's truly divided us, far worse than management ever could. The only reprise was a brief few hours when it broke all over the media that United goofed and reassigned the 9/11 flight numbers. Suddenly, we were one group again, all standing together in disbelief until a company spokesperson said it was an, um, er, computer glitch---and for a few minutes it was wonderful to see both AFA and IAM supporters together on the same side of the fence.

Back in December of 1997 when I heard that "Raises, Retirement, and Respect" mantra touted everywhere, I thought it was kind of childish of the AFA to be chanting that. You don't bargain for respect---you earn it. I have often said (and still believe) that certain AFA leaders should have been booted out years ago and sent back to working queen carts full-time. To me, the impression I had of an approachable union was like an ice cube with a wall around it.

I decided to get involved instead of complain about things. So, I volunteered to be on the hotel committee, the grievance committee, the reserve committee, and the communication committee. I rolled up my sleeves and worked on flight attendant cases--both contractual and discipline (not fun), examined layover hotels and TVLLOG reports (not fun either), dealt with OPBSK crew schedulers on reserve assignment issues, and attended all kinds of AFA and UAL meetings. More recently, I assisting the AFA on dozens of electronic communication and database projects, including the supercool Reserve Christmas Wish List, which I built for the AFA and UAL Onboard Service---and one of my favorite projects.

I saw firsthand the union's reaction to 9/11, UAL's bankruptcy, and the plethora of issues and problems thrown at them daily---hassles flight attendants endure each day while simply trying to perform their jobs.

I've seen AFA scheduling members catch mistake after mistake in Lines of Flying. I've seen AFA hotel members go head-to-head with the corporate hotel division. I've sat in on PBS (Preferential Bidding System) meetings at OBPSK and witnessed firsthand the issues experienced in trying to get that project off the ground. And so on. Make no mistake about it: the backbone of the AFA are the committees and specialists managing all these tasks behind the scenes.

Bankruptcy

It was the years directly following bankruptcy that will remain the darkest in UAL history. The mismanagement of this airline that led to an almost Chapter 7 liquidation deteriorated flight attendant working conditions, pay, pensions, morale, and benefits to the point that 'Flight Attendant' was pretty much no longer a viable, long-term career. Unbelievably, without the AFA at the time fighting them in bankruptcy court every inch of the way, it would have been far worse. Through concessions (READ: rape of our livelihood and gutting of our contract), nearly $5.5 billion was extracted from labor during United's stay in bankruptcy. Read that again, that's billion not million.

While flight attendant retirees were losing their medical benefits, the United CEO Glenn Tilton was making his millions in bonuses at the time, and even taking UAL executives and select members of senior management out to the Ritz Carlton for celebratory lunches. That whole period was so Goddamn obscene, there are no words to describe it.

Ever hear of Habituation? It's a behavioral term used to describe how animals are able to learn not to react to stimuli when they occur over and over again. Example: if a rat is given many low level electrical shocks, that rat will, over time, while subjected to the shocks, get used to them and build up a tolerance to the pain.

We have been in post-bankruptcy mode for a long time, and it's becoming the norm with each passing day that we should just accept these outdated emergency save-the-airline work rules and financial sacrifices. This is wearing me down though. And I don't think that is going to change if a different union comes onboard---particularly one that isn't 100% flight attendant focused.

Problem is, so much continual erosion of pay/benefits/conditions has occurred, it seems that we're all just getting numb to this kind of thing. Habituation. And that's not what any career should be about. At the moment, I think that the AFA is the only union that truly understands this---because it's entirely made up of individuals that went through exactly what I'm talking about---fighting each day to make sure what little of flight attendant work rules and pay remained protected.

For me, it's not about corporate mismanagement, stalled contract negotiations (see this page if you want to know why it's taking so damn long), or a newly merged carrier under the hopeful promises of yet-another CEO. It's about having representation, flight attendant representation, that is comprised of individuals who truly understand what flight attendants are, the life, what they go through, and what they need. And are 100% focused on getting flight attendants back what they deserve.

Setting a New Standard

I could go on and on. But let me wrap this up.

For the past 11 years, I've been keeping this site available for flight attendants free of charge. I do so because I enjoy it. But let me tell you this: I don't want to be at United (or any other unionized airline for that matter) if my interests are not fully represented by my peers. If this happens, it will be the last straw for me and I'm closing Jumpseatnews, leaving United, and that's that. I will exit the cage and the spinning wheel. After 11 years, I refuse to let the habituation continue any longer.

We need to set a new standard for our careers. United is evolving. And whatever union wins this election had better be held accountable to get us both what we deserve now, as well as what we have lost during the bankruptcy nightmare.

Only with both Continental and United flight attendants standing together under the same union can we ever have a hope to make things right. To put back our pay and work benefits to how they should be. Because of this, I don't see any other choice right now than to choose AFA. If it's not AFA, then I'm moving on to something else after June 29. I need to, before I end up an old man with nothing but regret and memories.

Conclusion

There was an article published last month titled 'Legal Rest Examples' that I particularly liked. Only a flight attendant could have written that article. Only a flight attendant could understand and best represent other flight attendants on that issue. Despite all I've mentioned above, this article was what lead to, more than anything else, my decision to vote for the AFA. I thought I was alone in my thoughts until I received a few days ago an interesting letter from a JSN reader.

So there you have it. For whatever it's worth, that's my take on the election, the representation vote, and where we are today. And this is the last time you will hear from me about this vote. I'm not talking about it anymore anywhere. I'm not interested in the politics, the campaign, the election process, who said what to whom, adding little see-I-told-you-so badges to facebook profiles, and the back-and-forth arguing and histronics. I've got too many other things that I want to focus on. I've voted and I'm done with this subject until June 29. See ya. Buh-bye.

At the end of the day, the outcome of this election is going to make some people very happy and others quite miserable. I'm sure I'll even get some grief for this commentary---it won't be the first time---but I've always been about simply giving you one person's perspective. I mean no disrespect whatsoever to the IAM supporters. I'm very proud that they have stepped up for what they believe in and the fact that they are wanting to take some action with regard to this career. They have my highest respect and admiration.

I am lucky.  Lucky enough to belong to the most supportive, hard-working, and generous group of people I have ever seen.

It doesn't matter what plane, flight number, or crew; it is always the flight attendants that make the difference---both to me personally and to United's passengers.  Always there, and working damn hard.  And one day soon, when I do hear a plane flying overhead, I hope it will again bring me both pride in my work and peace in my heart.

So get out there and vote. If not now, then when? If not you, then who?

But make your own decisions, and be proud of them.

Christopher