Note: In addition to the article below, you may find contract negotiations information in two main places:

From AFA: http://ourcontract.org

From United: http://unitednegotiations.com

Source for article below: ourcontract.org

On July 28th, the Master Executive Councils of Continental, Continental Micronesia and United Airlines met in a joint session to discuss our strategy to achieve an industry leading agreement for Flight Attendants at United Airlines. The meeting was convened by AFA-CWA International President Sara Nelson and included participation by the members of the JNC and staff members from AFA’s Legal and Collective Bargaining departments. The Local Council Presidents received a briefing on the status of negotiations and discussed a strategy for moving negotiations forward, including the August 10th status conference with the National Mediation Board and members of United management.

The point of this meeting with the NMB is to discuss what our next steps are. We need to review the bargaining process and how it should be changed in order to be more productive.

Earlier in the day, United Vice President, Jeff Wall sent a letter to all three MEC Presidents offering to continue negotiations on August 11th. Within minutes the letter was also posted on line and distributed to Flight Attendants. It is disingenuous to pre-determine negotiations should resume the day after our meeting with the NMB, when none of the parties knows what the outcome of that meeting will be. To then blast the letter out to the entire Flight Attendant population minutes after pressing the Send button makes the whole thing look more like a publicity stunt versus a genuine offer to resume talks.    

Our response to the letter is posted for your review >

Make no mistake, the JNC is certainly interested in returning to the bargaining table, but we need to do so utilizing a process which will result in a joint contract that meets the needs of 24,000 United Flight Attendants. The company has stalled these negotiations for far too long and cannot be allowed to play games any more. This is about our jobs, our careers and our future. United Airlines is making record profits and needs to be held accountable.

Join our Negotiations Update Teleconference this evening at 6 pm Eastern to receive a live update from the Joint Negotiating Committee. If you did not register for the Teleconference, a live stream of the message will also be available at OurContract.org.

At the end of the joint session, the members of the three Master Executive Councils unanimously passed the following resolution: 

Joint Resolution on Bargaining

Whereas, United management has proposed to eliminate important scope and job security provisions from the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement; and

Whereas United management has adopted a concessionary economic framework which slashes medical and retiree health, eliminates profit sharing, and cuts tens of millions out of the Scheduling, Hours of Service and Reserve sections of our respective agreements; and

Whereas, United Airlines is making record profits and initiating a $3 billion dollar stock repurchase; and

Whereas, Flight Attendants from all three pre-merger carriers have contributed greatly to the success of United Airlines; and

Whereas, Flight Attendants at the new United share common concerns of greater compensation, better hotels, and stronger protections; and

Therefore be it resolved, that this Joint MEC meeting resolves that it is imperative that Flight Attendants speak with one voice; and

Be it further resolved that the primary cause for the delay in the negotiations is the company’s concessionary economic framework; and