Constitutional Amendment Balloting Q&A’s

 

If you have questions about the content of the Constitution changes, please email [email protected].

If you have any questions about your ballot and/or how to vote, email [email protected].

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Click listed questions to scroll directly to answers…

• “How will item #1 (Changes to address the eventual combination of International and Domestic Bases) be accomplished? Will it require a dues increase? Will any of these items require a dues increase in the future?”
  
• “Regarding item #2 (Provisions for the transition to a combined American / US Airways Flight Attendant Work Group) to give APFA options, haven’t we already done that?”
  
• “I’m a new hire Flight Attendant. Why is this important to me?”
  
• “Why are we changing the titles of officers since president and base chair have always worked for APFA? Why align ourselves with the titles other unions use? If we only represent one airline, why do we need to add the word national to the title or president to base chair?“
  
• “Why will the changes for dues obligations of Flight Attendants on unpaid status apply only on a “going forward” basis? Why won’t they apply to the dues owed between the last time the Constitution was changed via member ratification in 2010 and now?”
  
• “With the Base elections in the beginning of 2015, wouldn’t it be more cost effective to just postpone the elections until the Domestic Operation and the International Operation are combined?”
  
• “Why do we need to change the constitution for a one-time issue?”
  
• “In item #3, why change some BOD or officer responsibilities from “shall” to “may”?”
  
• “Why do we need to clarify “elected” vs “duly elected” now? Doesn’t the term “elected” cover both without a distinction being necessary?”
  

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Q. “How will item #1 (Changes to address the eventual combination of International and Domestic Bases) be accomplished? Will it require a dues increase? Will any of these items require a dues increase in the future?”

A: No. None of the proposed amendments requires a dues increase, nor is a dues increase being proposed. APFA can accomplish everything in the proposed amendments with our current dues rate of $41 a month. NOTE: The APFA dues rate can only be changed by a vote of the membership.

Q. “Regarding item #2 (Provisions for the transition to a combined American / US Airways Flight Attendant Work Group) to give APFA options, haven’t we already done that?”

A: While we have agreements concerning many aspects of the transition to a single Flight Attendant work group, item #2 addresses issues that only can be changed by the proposed amendments. For example, we will be welcoming pre-merger US Airways Flight Attendants with valuable experience into our union in the coming months. In order for the combined membership to fully benefit from the resources these Flight Attendants bring to the table, item #2 must pass, allowing them to become eligible to hold administrative or committee positions. The proposed change would provide the APFA Board of Directors with the flexibility to give former US Airways credit for time spent in AFA union positions.

Q. “I’m a new hire Flight Attendant. Why is this important to me?”

A: The Constitution determines APFA’s structure and the rights and responsibilities of members and leadership. For APFA to be able to continue to represent our members effectively, the Constitution has to keep current with the changes that the merger is bringing, and should be updated and clarified to improve how we operate.

Q. “Why are we changing the titles of officers since president and base chair have always worked for APFA? Why align ourselves with the titles other unions use? If we only represent one airline, why do we need to add the word national to the title or president to base chair?“

A: APFA’s titles are different from those used by most other unions, and we find there is confusion when we deal with the media, policymakers, the financial world, and these other unions. The title changes have been proposed simply to harmonize with the various unions we interact with in the aviation industry and beyond. Although APFA’s independence is crucial for our union’s strength, so too is our ability to work cooperatively with outside partners. We expect this change, while minor, to help smooth our external relations.

Q. “Why will the changes for dues obligations of Flight Attendants on unpaid status apply only on a “going forward” basis? Why won’t they apply to the dues owed between the last time the Constitution was changed via member ratification in 2010 and now?”

A. In 2010, the membership voted to change dues obligations, and APFA and the Flight Attendants affected by that were governed by those rules only on a going forward basis; the membership was not asked to consider going back and assessing dues for the period before the effective date of the change. To maintain consistency with past practice, the same process is being followed now. If the membership votes for Item #5, the changes will apply only to dues obligations after the date of ratification.

Q. “With the Base elections in the beginning of 2015, wouldn’t it be more cost effective to just postpone the elections until the Domestic Operation and the International Operation are combined?”

A. Of course there will be a cost involved in holding a new election once the operations are combined, but stability within our union structure is very important. We don’t know for sure when that combination will happen, and it wouldn’t be wise to have Base Officer terms that are open-ended.

Q. “Why do we need to change the constitution for a one-time issue?”

A. While there are a few proposed amendments that address “one-time” issues such as transition provisions connected to the combination of operations, the vast majority of the proposed amendments are not “one-time” issues. Instead, they will accomplish necessary changes and improvements that will govern our union’s operations for many years to come. Although other issues are “one-time”only, they are governed by our Constitution and changes cannot be implemented without the approval of the membership.

Q. “In item #3, why change some BOD or officer responsibilities from “shall” to “may”?”

A. When our Constitution was written more than 20 years ago, there were tasks that were expected to be performed on a regular basis. Over time, some of those no longer need to be done automatically every year. For example, the Constitution states that the Board of Directors shall (must) review the APFA Policy Manual at every Annual Convention. The proposed change says that the Board “may” review the Policy Manual – but only if the need arises.

Q. “Why do we need to clarify “elected” vs “duly elected” now? Doesn’t the term “elected” cover both without a distinction being necessary?”

A. In most places, the Constitution properly references officers and representatives who are “elected” by a vote or, if there is only one candidate running, “duly elected.” The proposed changes simply add “duly elected” where it was mistakenly left out. Although it is a “technical” correction, we want to be sure that the Constitution accurately states our governing rules.