The Association of Flight Attendants is under the legal obligation to engage in Section 1113(c) discussions with the management of United Airlines.

As you know, one bright and sunny day on Nov 4, 2004, United delivered a list of changes they want made to our contract.  And they want those changes made this coming January.

AFA calls the list 'United's Demands'.  United calls it their 'proposed modifications to the 2003-2009 AFA-CWA Agreement'.

Whatever you want to call it, that document is a list of changes that intend to further cut our pay and benefits, as well as alter (for the worse) the various work rules associated with our job.

• Read that original document here >>

In an attempt to deal with this, AFA created the Financial Review Committee to put together a response.  They did, and you can read the official 1113(c) response here >>

Now What?

Well, the ball has just been sort of put back in United's court.  They can read and consider the document, or, they can use it as bird liner.

Thus far, it appears to not be going so well.  Read this quote from the latest DEAR-AFA tape:

The exchange of proposals continued today with management still refusing to acknowledge AFA priorities to maintain working conditions and benefits.  Management fails to realize we will not agree to the termination of any pension plan at United.

I don't know what to tell you ladies and gents.  Legally, AFA is still required to continue their efforts to reach a consensual agreement with United.  However, in their own words, they "strongly believe we are no closer to a consensual Agreement than when we started this process."

The DEAR AFA tape offers the following suggestion regarding where to go from here:

Even as our FRC meets with United management, the real negotiations are taking place on the line as management views your action as a barometer of what Members are willing, or unwilling, to accept.  Currently in our discussions, it seems that management still believes that our professional pride and commitment to safety, security and service is an endorsement for their actions to destroy our careers and reduce our jobs to the unaffordable and unsustainable.  Therefore, a commanding vote for CHAOS™ strikes is imperative to compel management to reach a tentative agreement with AFA.  In the event we reach a tentative agreement, you will have the final say through a Membership vote on whether or not to accept the concessions.

The choice in how you will cast vote is yours of course.  And if you haven't, then for Heaven's Sakes DO IT NOW.

I'll just say this: Never, in the four years of monitoring airline news on a daily basis, have I ever seen such a critical series of events as I know these next several weeks will bring.

We have been in emergency mode for a long time, but this is really the emergency if there ever was one.  If there was ever a time for you to be involved in every daily events going on, now is that time.

I've said it before: This job ain't never going back to what it was.   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.

Don't get numb.  Stay alert.  Stay informed.  And whatever you do, hang on.  It's going to be quite a ride in January 2005.