American Eagle Flight Attendants Continue Talks

WASHINGTON, April 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Robert Barrow, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO (AFA) at American Eagle, issued the following statement on the bankruptcy negotiations and a potential merger:

"We continue to negotiate with American Eagle management to reach an agreement rather than a court imposed settlement.  We are focused on job security and a better future for American Eagle Flight Attendants.  We welcome innovative solutions that would fully recognize the contributions of American Eagle Flight Attendants, much like the divestiture that was planned prior to the bankruptcy.  Not long ago, that plan promised job security and greater opportunity for the dedicated workers at American Eagle.

"We are paying close attention to any potential merger. AFA is committed to protecting American Eagle Flight Attendants, ensuring the success of our airline, and working swiftly through this process. The potential merger announcement does not change AFA's continued work to vigorously oppose unnecessary concessions. We will ensure Flight Attendants play an integral role in the reshaping and rebuilding of American Eagle.

"American Eagle Flight Attendants have contributed to a profitable airline.  It is only due to a poor business plan executed by the management of our parent company that American Eagle Flight Attendants are facing the onerous process of Chapter 11.  It is a travesty that American management is seeking to abrogate the contracts of mainline American Airlines workers, which led to support from those workers' unions for an unsolicited bid from US Airways to buy American.  Management has an opportunity to reach an agreement with a different outcome at American Eagle.

"AFA experts are fully engaged in protecting our rights in this bankruptcy and in any potential merger or divestiture.  As members of AFA, American Eagle Flight Attendants remain proud of the contributions we make daily to the airline. Along with our fellow front-line workers, we will continue our work as safety professionals and stand together to push back against any efforts to minimize our contributions."

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)