Chicago, IL – Flight Attendant leaders from United Airlines, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), today accepted the terms of the recent tentative agreement and will now send it to the 15,000 United Flight Attendants for a vote. AFA’s United Master Executive Council (MEC), comprised of elected Flight Attendant leaders from the around the world, met in special session to review the agreement, which was reached with United management on January 7, 2012.

“This agreement is a step in the right direction. Our Flight Attendant community has waited for much needed improvements to our contract. Despite many obstacles and challenges, we remained undeterred from our number one goal of reaching an agreement that addresses our immediate needs and serves as a stepping stone to a single contract with our flying partners from Continental and Continental Micronesia,” said Greg Davidowitch, AFA President at United Airlines.

AFA will now prepare member meetings for every location to review the terms being presented for a vote and answer Flight Attendants questions. A comprehensive explanation of the tentative agreement will also be sent to every Flight Attendant’s home. The voting schedule will be announced soon.

“We would like to thank the National Mediation Board’s (NMB) Senior Mediator Patricia Sims for her oversight and support. Her assistance in achieving an agreement utilizing a process modeled on the NMB’s Expedited Mediation program was critical. This tentative agreement addresses the priorities United Flight Attendants expressed to the negotiating committee and provides much needed relief to our community who have been working under a bankruptcy-imposed contract. Those days are over,” stated Davidowitch.

The Association of Flight Attendants is the world’s largest Flight Attendant union, representing nearly 15,000 Flight Attendants at United Airlines alone. Focused 100 percent on Flight Attendant issues, AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight Attendant profession for over 65 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 at 23 airlines come together to form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.unitedafa.org