Flight Attendant Union Pushing Back on Outrageous Chapter 11 Demands by American Eagle Management

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) at American Eagle, representing over 1,800 Flight Attendants at the airline, is prepared to push back on overreaching, outrageous contract cuts presented today by management.  AFA American Eagle President Robert Barrow issued the following statement after management presented its laundry list of cuts to compensation, benefits, work rules and quality of life:

"It is outrageous that American Eagle Flight Attendants are facing an attack on their contract simply because the cloak of bankruptcy allows for it.  Just prior to American Airlines' bankruptcy filing, Flight Attendants were negotiating for a new contract and management had already agreed to significant work-rule and benefit improvements and acknowledged that a pay raise would be part of that package.  Nothing has changed except that bankruptcy gives management a hammer and a process to demand unreasonable concessions from workers.

"American Eagle is a profitable subsidiary of AMR and it is shameful that Flight Attendants, who are an instrumental part of a successful operation, are being handed a list of concessions as a result of bad management decisions in the larger corporation.

"Recognizing the realities of bankruptcy, AFA leaders are working with our legal staff and advisors to examine management's demands.  We will vigorously oppose unnecessary concessions in order to minimize the impact of Chapter 11 on Flight Attendants. AFA will continue to ensure Flight Attendants are represented fairly during this process."

The Association of Flight Attendants is the world's largest Flight Attendant union. Focused 100 percent on Flight Attendant issues, AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight Attendant profession for over 65 years. Serving as the voice for Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill, AFA has transformed the Flight Attendant profession by raising wages, benefits and working conditions.  Nearly 60,000 Flight Attendants at 21 airlines come together to form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afacwa.org.

SOURCE Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA)

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http://www.afacwa.org/