The very most important responsibility of a Union is to protect Member’s jobs.  This core principal is the heart, soul and the foundation of AFA.  Within our Union, as individuals we may have differences of opinion on the direction our Union takes.  But in the matter of a potential involuntary furlough, our Leadership is resolute and steadfast in upholding that priority.

This is not the first time you’ve heard this, and it will not be the last.  As we move forward tomorrow with the close of the Voluntary Furlough bid, our Union will continue to uphold our defense of our Member’s jobs.  We will assertively and rigorously defend each and every Member, and pursue all necessary action to prevent any United Flight Attendant from being subject to involuntary furlough. 

It’s important to keep in mind the upcoming timeline and processes:

• Voluntary Furlough Bid Close and Award, January 8, 2014
• Partnership Program 11 Bid Close and Award, January 13, 2014
• Continuing advocacy to the company, by AFA for mitigation of any remaining manpower issues
• Aggressive and deliberate action to enforce our Contractual Protections
• Continuing and ongoing efforts to mitigate the impact of any involuntary furlough

United’s success is dependent on management recognizing the invaluable people who are United Airlines.  We are not numbers, not file numbers, not productivity equations on a chart in an office in downtown Chicago.  We are our company; we work with heart and United’s passengers depend on us each and every day.  The people we work with, care about and love depend on us too. 

As employees of this great airline, we are loyal, hardworking, generous and we give, every single time we show up to work.  We expect the same in return from our company.  United Airlines management must make the right choice to work with our Union for viable solutions.  This is what we expect, because it’s the right thing to do. 

Looking back just over the past thirteen years, consider all we’ve been through.  Consider the changes our airline has made and the decisions that brought us to these places.  This furlough is a pivotal moment in our history.  We’ve seen promises made, and promises unfulfilled.  We often speak of opportunity with United Airlines and United management.  Before us all stands an incredibly important opportunity to do the right thing.  It is imperative that management makes the right choice for United Flight Attendants, for our airline and for our collective future success.