Tentative Transition Agreement Reached for AirTran and Southwest Flight Attendants

WASHINGTON, Dec. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), representing 2,400 Flight Attendants at AirTran Airways, announced a Seniority Integration and Transition Agreement today with Southwest Airlines, AirTran Airways and Transport Workers Union Local 556, which represents Southwest Flight Attendants.

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The agreement outlines the full integration of AirTran Flight Attendants into Southwest as the two airlines merge. The agreement will be sent to Flight Attendants at both carriers for ratification.

"We worked hard to achieve an agreement that would provide job security and address transition issues for Air Tran Flight Attendants," said Alison Head, AFA president at AirTran.  "These two great airlines have one tremendous future, and today we presented this agreement to our members for their consideration."

AFA's seniority integration policy promotes unity and protects a Flight Attendant's years of service. This is the ideal as we recognize the contributions all Flight Attendants make to our careers.  But, in merger such as this one between Southwest and Air Tran where Flight Attendants will not be represented by AFA once the merger integration is concluded, AFA has successfully lobbied for seniority protection under the law.  Earlier this month AFA won a case before the federal court of appeals that confirms a Flight Attendants' right to a fair and equitable process for seniority integration. 

Air Tran AFA members will now decide whether to approve the tentative transition agreement that includes a seniority integration process or go to arbitration on the issue of seniority integration.

Voting dates will be announced in the coming week.

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 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.afacwa.org.

SOURCE Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO

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