Flight attendants at Southwest
Airlines yesterday became the second union outside of the Association of
Flight Attendants-CWA in as many days to express its support for AFA’s
call for a nationwide strike in the event that any of its collective
bargaining agreements are abrogated. “Our unions have worked together on many important flight attendant
issues, and we benefited greatly from the support of AFA during our recent
contract negotiations,” noted Thom McDaniel, president of Transport
Workers Union Local 556 in Dallas. “We will not stand on the sidelines
while airline executives misuse bankruptcy courts to cover up their own
mistakes and turn back the clock on the progress that we have all achieved.

“Thank you for taking a stand in this fight for the future of all flight
attendants,” McDaniel said.

With airlines indicating their desire to manipulate the federal bankruptcy
laws and tear up legally binding contracts with their employees, AFA
earlier this week indicated that it will move forward with CHAOS(TM) job
actions should that happen. CHAOS is AFA’s trademarked tactic for surprise
work stoppages that could affect any flight, any airport and any day,
subject solely to the union’s discretion.

On November 18, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which
represents employees at American Airlines, the nation’s largest carrier,
also expressed its support for AFA’s position.
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