Spirit Flight Attendants Stand Unified For Send-Off Event as Negotiators Prepare To Reach Contract

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Spirit Airlines Flight Attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) will stage a "send-off party" at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport for the AFA Negotiating Team. Dozens of Spirit Flight Attendants will assemble as Flight Attendant union representatives depart for contract negotiations with management April 16-18.

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"It is well past time that Spirit management recognizes the significant role Flight Attendants have in the success of our airline, particularly in light of our airline's profitability and expansion in Dallas-Fort Worth, Las Vegas and Chicago. The time for excuses and stonewalling is over. It is critical that management come to the table and negotiate a contract that reflects the contributions of Flight Attendants to our successful and vibrant airline. We are prepared to do what it takes to reach an agreement that can be ratified. It appears management is choosing a path that could lead to a strike. Our strategy is designed to reach an agreement, but if management prefers to disrupt travel for passengers then they have no business running our airline," said Todd St. Pierre, AFA President at Spirit. 

Monday, April 15, 2013
7:00 ET
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
Departures – Outside TSA Security

Spirit Flight Attendants are willing to go to great lengths to reach an agreement - an overwhelming 98.4 percent voted to authorize a strike should negotiations reach an impasse. Earlier this year, AFA asked the National Mediation Board for a proffer of arbitration, which could result in a release to a 30-day cooling-off period and strike deadline. That decision may come at any time.

If a strike is legally permitted, Spirit Flight Attendants will utilize AFA's trademarked strike strategy, CHAOS™. With CHAOS, or Create Havoc Around Our System™, a strike could affect the entire system or a single flight. The union decides when, where and how to strike without notice to management or passengers.

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 67 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, including the more than 1,000 at Spirit Airlines, together form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.spiritafa.com.

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