12.04.19 – Candidate Do’s and Don’ts

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Candidate Do’s and Don’ts

The National Ballot Committee (NBC) has been asked to publish campaign rules for everyone to understand what can and cannot be done during an election.  While there is not one (1) complete list of rules, these are the rules that are most common for our workgroup and are the rules sent to each candidate once their WTS has been retrieved.

The prohibition against the use of union and employer funds applies to direct expenditures from a union or employer as well as indirect expenditures including:

• Campaigning on time paid for by the union or employer
• Use of union/employer-owned or leased equipment such as telephones, fax machines, copy machines, computer systems including those accessing SABRE
• Use of union/employer supplies such as stamps, paper, and envelopes
• Use of union employees to prepare campaign literature while on union time
• Use of the union letterhead, the APFA logo or any other symbol that might appear to be an endorsement by the APFA
• Printing articles that support or criticize an individual’s candidacy in the union newsletter or other publication
• Giving free services or special discounts to a candidate customer such as printing, photocopying, etc.
• Use of union/employer property or facilities, including but not limited to the use of company mailboxes for the purpose of distributing campaign literature.

• Flight Attendants who are in layover status and earning per diem only would not be considered to be “on the clock” in a manner that would constitute a use of employer funds and may conduct campaigning activities during that layover period.
• Part-time union representatives may campaign outside union work hours including on a day they were originally scheduled to fly.
• Full-time union officers may campaign outside their normal work hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

As always, you are welcome to contact the NBC with any questions at [email protected] or 817-540-0108 ext. 8311.

In Unity,

Cindy Horan
APFA National Ballot Committee Chair
[email protected]