AirTran flight attendants, represented
by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO, will be picketing
and leafleting at the airline’s shareholder meeting and at Atlanta airport
to protest being stonewalled by AirTran management during negotiations for
a new contract. The flight attendants will be picketing and leafleting on May 20 from 8 to
10 a.m. near the AirTran ticket counters at Atlanta Hartsfield
International airport and from 9:30 to 11 a.m. outside the AirTran
shareholders meeting being held at the Marriott Marquee hotel, located at
265 Peachtree Center Ave.

Negotiations for a new contract with AirTran management began in August
2002. Flight attendants have been fighting to bring their pay, benefits
and work rules in line with other low cost carriers in the industry while
AirTran management, who have been richly rewarded for the airline’s
success, has fought them every step of the way.

“AirTran is one of the profitable airlines in the U.S., we’ve expanded
service, bought new aircraft and our top management has rewarded
themselves with significant raises,” said AFA AirTran Master Executive
Council President Joe Rivera. “This is another example of top management
lining their pockets with money taken out of the hands of their
hardworking employees.”

Compensation for AirTran’s top five executives grew by 25 percent in 2002
and another 13 percent in 2003. In contrast, the flight attendants’ pay
rates have been frozen since October 2001. In fact, flight attendants are
penalized for their experience and loyalty to the airline, since the pay
scale tops out after only 5 years.

“The flight attendants’ hard work and dedication have helped to build
AirTran into one of the most successful low-cost airlines in the industry,
yet our pay and work rules significantly lag behind our competition in the
low- cost arena,” Rivera said. “We deserve a contract that reflects our
contribution to the airline’s success. Management cannot reward themselves
for a job well done without rewarding the people who actually carry out
the work of this airline.”

More than 46,000 flight attendants at 26 airlines join together to form
AFA, the world’s largest flight attendant union. AFA is part of the
700,000 members strong Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO. Visit
us at http://www.afanet.org/.
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