Join Us
Join Us
Gaining representation by the Association of Flight Attendants is a “bottom-up” process that begins with committed Flight Attendants willing to reach out to their colleagues and spread the good news about the benefits of union representation and a legally binding contract.
Are you ready to make that commitment, to change the game for you and your Flight Attendants partners at your airline?
If so, tell us about yourself, your airline and your colleagues. Once we receive your information, an AFA representative will contact you. You will have taken the first step toward having an independent voice on the job and gaining a legally binding contract.
Know Your Organizing Rights
Organizing activity is protected under the Railway Labor Act, the federal law that governs labor relations in the airline and rail industries. Employees have the right to determine who their union representative is, without interference or coercion from their employer or their employer’s representatives.
The following guidelines will help you know your rights, and to stay within the prescribed limits for such activity:
- You can talk about the union while you are at work, just like you can talk about the weather, your family or the latest sports scores. Like any other conversation, it should not interfere with work duties.
- Organizing activity, like soliciting your co-workers to sign an AFA representation card, should be limited to non-work times in non-work areas. This means before and after work, or while on a layover, but generally not onboard the aircraft. Also, the crew lounge and other non-work areas at the airport are okay for such activity unless the company has specific, non-discriminatory rules in place that prohibit such activity. Any other location away from work is fine.
- Supervisors must not intimidate, coerce or interfere with you in any way for conducting such organizing activity. If this happens to you please report it to the AFA Legal Department. However, do not be insubordinate. If you are given a direct order by a supervisor or company representative to cease certain union organizing activity, comply with that order and inform AFA immediately.
- It is illegal for the company to favor one union over another, or for one union to be given greater access or fewer restrictions for organizing activity. Again, report any such favoritism to AFA immediately.
- While you are engaged in organizing activity never interfere with another employee in the performance of her or his work duties or cause a disruption in the work place. If someone does not want to talk about the union simply end the conversation politely and walk away.
Authorization Card
Signing an AFA Authorization Card means that you are authorizing the government (National Mediation Board) to conduct an election for representation by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO for Flight Attendants at your airline. Your signed authorization card is valid for one year from the date of signing. AFA keeps your authorization card confidential and in locked files in our office in Washington, DC. Only AFA Legal staff will handle your card. You may receive contact from AFA based on the information you provide on the card. Your card will be kept on file at AFA until or unless a majority of your flying partners join you in signing cards to call for an election. Only then will the cards be submitted to the National Mediation Board (NMB). The NMB also keeps your card confidential and will not share individually signed cards with airline management.