World's Largest Flight Attendant Union Joins Partnership for Open and Fair Skies

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) today announced the union has joined the Partnership for Open and Fair Skies and its efforts to ensure U.S.-based airlines are allowed to compete on a level global playing field.

"The aviation industry was born in the United States, and we are proud to be a part of the safest, most efficient aviation system in the world," said AFA International President Sara Nelson.  "We cannot allow air carriers based in certain Gulf states to collect billions in subsidies from their home governments to undercut U.S. aviation and our country's vital standards for workers' rights. We welcome and encourage competition, but these massive subsidies distort the world market and tilt the playing field so drastically against us, we have no choice but to come together to defend our jobs."

The Partnership for Open and Fair Skies --  composed of the leadership of the three largest U.S.-based international carriers and union representatives from AFA, the Air Line Pilots Association, the Allied Pilots Association, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, and the Communications Workers of America -- is asking the United States  government to meet with representatives of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to begin addressing concerns over government subsidization of their national airlines.

"Through our work, including the push to deny Norwegian Air International's attempt to circumvent U.S. law and fly here in planes staffed by third-party outsourced crews to the effort to stop Congress from granting Fast Track Authority for secret deals. AFA has been outspoken on international issues affecting Flight Attendants," Nelson said. "We are proud to join U.S. aviation workers and other stakeholders in the Partnership for Open and Fair Skies."

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 67 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, AFL-CIO

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http://www.afacwa.org/