In a Global Protest, AFA-CWA Members Say No More Concessions

In an April 6 demonstration at airports across the United States, Europe and Asia, thousands of AFA-CWA flight attendants at United called for a fair contract without concessions and protested the airline's failure to negotiate a contract on time.

At Chicago's O'Hare airport, some 400 flight attendants marched for three hours, chanting "Hell No! No More Concessions!" Thousands more demonstrated at 14 other airports in the U.S., and in Frankfurt, Germany, London, Hong Kong, and Tokyo.

April 6 marks one year since AFA-CWA began negotiations at the airline. Over the past year, United has refused to address the deep cuts flight attendants agreed to accept in 2003 to help their airline stay afloat as it entered bankruptcy. While in bankruptcy, United sought and made even more cuts to pay, healthcare and work rules; pensions were terminated.

The 16,000 United flight attendants are now working at 1994 pay levels but are working nearly 50 percent more compared to their 2002 schedules.

United released a phony bargaining proposal to the media the day before the demonstrations to try and sidetrack public attention from AFA-CWA members' call for a fair contract.

United claimed it had offered flight attendants a new compensation offer, but the union rejected that claim.

"The proposals are purely concessionary," said Greg Davidowitch, president of AFA-CWA at United Airlines.  "They have refused to present us with a compensation proposal and flight attendants are sick and tired of waiting for the compensation and working conditions we are due.  We will not agree to the wholesale destruction of portions of our contract to pay for any perceived improvements," he said.