New Flight Attendant Union Leadership Promotes Profession

Veda Shook Leads Union as International President of AFA-CWA

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New leadership is taking charge at the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA). Elected last year at AFA's annual convention, Veda Shook took office as AFA's International President on January 1, while Sara Nelson took over as International Vice President, and Kevin Creighan entered his second full term as International Secretary-Treasurer.

"We have a clear vision for our future," said Shook. "We will work to rebuild the Flight Attendant profession as a good career by negotiating new standards in pay, benefits and working conditions. Many contracts were decimated during the post-9/11 industry bankruptcy era, but now, as the industry is experiencing a phenomenal resurgence, it is our time to advance our careers. We will also promote the Flight Attendant profession by taking every opportunity to seek recognition and respect for Flight Attendants. We are first responders, we are a key link in the safety, security and success of commercial aviation, and it's time for that to be recognized by the public, by lawmakers and by airline management. We will raise Flight Attendant standards across the board."

"Like never before, the time is right for improvements to the Flight Attendant profession," said Nelson. "As leaders, we have a tremendous opportunity to serve as the catalyst that will mobilize our members to demand better contracts, to demand better wages, and to demand better working conditions. The skills Flight Attendants command as intelligent, resilient, and compassionate safety professionals are invaluable. Our union is responsible for building our careers and leading the charge for equality in the workplace. Coordinating and focusing the tremendous talents within our Flight Attendant-only union will again yield exceptional advances for our careers in this new era of industry prosperity."

"Today we are poised to advance the Flight Attendant profession," said Creighan. "We will continue to protect our collective bargaining rights and use our collective strength to make the improvements our members need. Airline passengers and shareholders benefit from the dedication of Flight Attendants. The success of airlines cannot be measured by the stock price or management bonuses alone; it must also be measured by the life it affords the Flight Attendants who are the face of the airlines."

AFA is a union run by and for Flight Attendants, and the AFA International Officers are proud to be Flight Attendants themselves. Veda Shook has been a Flight Attendant at Alaska Airlines for nearly 20 years. Sara Nelson and Kevin Creighan have been United Airlines Flight Attendants for 14 and 32 years respectively. Biographical information about the new officers and a New Year video address by Veda Shook is available at www.afacwa.org.

For over 60 years, the Association of Flight Attendants has been serving as the voice for flight attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill.  Nearly 50,000 flight attendants at 21 airlines come together to form AFA-CWA, the world's largest flight attendant union. AFA is part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), and the 12.2 million member AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afacwa.org. 

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