Flight Attendant Union Supports Senate Letter Urging DOT Scrutiny Of Norwegian Air Application

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Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA)

Mar 13, 2014, 11:45 ET

WASHINGTON, March 13, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), representing nearly 60,000 Flight Attendants at 19 carriers, today praised a bipartisan coalition of United States Senators who issued a letter to Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Anthony Foxx urging careful scrutiny of Norwegian Air International's (NAI) application for a foreign carrier permit. NAI has developed a business model that evades international labor laws and seeks to create unfair competition with U.S. carriers.

"Today we stand in unity with the 38 Senators who are calling for thorough DOT review of NAI's application to enter the U.S. aviation market by circumventing regulations and exploiting low labor costs.

"AFA has worked closely with our counterparts across the world for global labor standards that protect careers while encouraging aviation growth. We remained dedicated to creating opportunities that expand business by working collaboratively with airline management so that everyone is able to share in the success.

"NAI's scheme would ultimately drive U.S. air carriers out of the competition and would profit at the expense of tens of thousands of U.S. airline jobs– and our recovering economy as a whole. AFA continues to firmly oppose any attempt to erode the careers of U.S. Flight Attendants who have worked for nearly seven decades to build an enduring legacy.

"In today's global aviation environment, it is imperative that we all work together to ensure that workers are treated fairly and are recognized for the role they have in their airline's success. We are thankful for the leadership demonstrated by the Senators who share AFA's concern that the DOT needs to stop NAI from severely undercutting our companies, threatening our jobs, and setting a harmful precedent."

The Association of Flight Attendants is the world's largest Flight Attendant union. Focused 100 percent on Flight Attendant issues, AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight Attendant profession for 68 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 come together to form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afacwa.org.

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SOURCE Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA)