32% Of American Airlines Flight Attendants Are Behind In Their Union Dues

32% of American Airlines flight attendants are behind in their union dues according to the American Airlines flight attendants union.

The union is trying to collect two things.

1. Sending flight attendants to collection

   My account has been sent to collections. How do I make payments?

   Reach out to our outside collections agency, Diversified Credit Systems, at [redacted], to further discuss your account.

2. Threatening to have them fired

   If you are in dues arrears, you will receive an “alert” letter with your dues status and how it will impact your employment at American Airlines….you can be terminated for not paying dues.

It's shocking to know that 32% of flight attendants aren't current on their union dues. Some of this is recent. Flight attendants who were not paid for October and November of 2020 wouldn't have paid dues, but my understanding is that they will be forgiven once the crewmember returns to work. Flight attendants on leave wouldn't have dues, but that doesn't make up the majority of this.

The issue seems to be with legacy American Airlines flight attendants. When crew were merged into the APFA, legacy dues in arrears to the US Airways flight attendants union wouldn't have carried over to APFA dues. It is surprising to see a strong showing by Charlotte, as it appears to be legacy dues from American Airlines flight attendants. In some cases, American may have failed to give dues dues, or didn't have the required dues withholding form on file.

What could happen here? After formal notification and a 30 day period in which to become current, a flight attendant is supposed to face the start of discharge proceedings.

If, upon the expiration of the thirty (30) day period, the Flight Attendant still remains delinquent, the APFA National President shall certify, in writing, to the Vice President of Labor Relations, copy to the Flight Attendant, that the Flight Attendant has failed to remit payment within the grace period allowed and is, therefore, to be discharged. The Vice President of Labor Relations shall then take proper steps to discharge such employee from the service of the Company.

American Airlines paid huge attendance bonuses and premium pay for picking up trips over the Thanksgiving through New Years period because they lacked enough crew in the fall.

• It’s a tough spot to be in for the flight attendants union to try to get its members fired. The union report it plans to seek “[t]he ability to pay arrears via payroll deduction..in negotiations” which isn’t a key item in improving compensation or working conditions for flight attendants as much as for the convenience and budgetary health of the union itself.
• Meanwhile it’s the airline that will be looking out for flight attendants, slow-walking any such discharged procedures, because the can’t afford to lose large numbers of crew.

Flight attendants were sent to collections and threatened with their jobs if they reported that their union president misappropriated their dues for personal gain. The union flight attendants are paying for something that is weak.

Airline unions become like Ponzi schemes because they benefit the first in at the expense of those who join later. Senior flight attendants were paid to stay home when American Airlines took payroll support money from the government.

In airlines.

Non-paying union members cannot vote because of the Furloughs. Old guard union leadership is protected if the newest hires are taken out of the equation. During the Covid crisis, the union has been downright docile and weakened. The company has lost all of its money.

In airlines.

The act of listening to the flight attendants melt down is an act of schadenfreude. On your next American Airlines flight, the cabin crew may be fighting rather than passengers in a mask dispute.

In airlines.