Government Affairs
Committee
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It is
urgent that our Representatives in the House hear directly
from AFA members. We can no longer rely solely on the
e-activist campaign to get our message out. We must
return to the basics of members sending paper letters into
Representatives offices in
Washington,
DC. They need
to hear from their constituents and AFA needs you to help
make that happen! This action is absolutely vital and
important. In fact, this is the MOST IMPORTANT thing
that anyone can do with their time right now. To make
a difference, please sign these letters being handed out by
Flight Attendant volunteers on the line, who will then
forward these letters to the appropriate state
representative. If you are unsure who your representative is
in the House, simply supply your information on the letter
and the AFA volunteers will verify and send the letters to
the appropriate representative. In the past week, over 500
letters were sent from AFA. The Association of Flight
Attendants can lobby every single office but until they hear
from the real members and voters back home, change cannot
happen.
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AFA
members from twenty-seven airlines lobby Congress and Federal
Agencies to achieve workplace improvements. The AFA Council 66
(America West) Government Affairs Committee actively
participates in all AFA lobbying efforts. With our solidarity,
the Legislative Affairs committees have convinced Congress and
Federal Agencies to;
-
Recognize Flight Attendants as Cabin
Safety Professionals and mandate our presence on all
commercial airline aircraft
-
Establish floor level exits for safe
evacuations
-
Ensure that there are less flammable
materials used to construct cabin interiors
-
Ban smoking on domestic and
international flights
-
Limit the number of carry-on bags (see
more information below)
-
Limit duty-time regulations (F.A.R.
121.467)
-
Establish sensible weight standards for
flight attendants
Recently, AFA won three significant legislative victories:
-
Whistleblower Protection for Aviation
Workers – This law allows all aviation workers to blow the
whistle on unsafe conditions at their airline. The company can
not fire you for reporting unsafe practices at your airline to
the FAA or other agencies.
-
Civil penalties for passengers who
assault a flight crewmember was increased from $1,000 to
$25,000.
-
Congress will fund comprehensive
cabin-air quality studies. This will allow us to study air on
our airplanes to determine it’s content and quality.
AFA Legislative Affairs Committee’s are currently working on the
following issues:
-
OSHA protection for all flight
attendants. AFA wants OSHA and the FAA to establish safety
rules on-board aircraft. Currently, there are no safety rules
in place to prevent injuries on-board. Workers in other
industries are covered by OSHA protection…Flight Attendants
Are Not!! For more information on OSHA
click here.
-
AFA wants Congress to establish carry-on
bag rules that apply to all airlines. Currently, each airline
can set it’s own policy and the FAA requires that they enforce
their rules. However, with increased code-share agreements and
other marketing programs, passengers are confused about
carry-on bag rules. Therefore, Congress should establish a
universal rule that will ensure compliance. Recent AFA studies
also point to carry-on bags as a source of flight attendant
injuries so it is imperative that Congress act quickly.
While much of the lobby activities take place in Washington, DC,
AFA Council 66 members also lobby the Arizona State House.
Arizona lawmakers often vote on issues such as the state
worker’s compensation system (OJI) and tax issues that affect
America West flight attendants.
There is always work to be done in the Halls of Congress and at
the State House. If you are interested in lobbying to improve
the working conditions of your flying partners, please call the
AFA office at 480-966-1231, extension 11, or 800-200-2555,
extension 11.
OTHER SITES OF INTEREST
DeclareYourself.com
Register to Vote
Firstgov.gov
The US Government's Official Web Portal
Becomeactive.org
Get Involved
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Since the
founding of the Association of Flight Attendants over 60 years
ago, it has been our goal to improve the working
conditions and lives of all flight attendants. We have fought to
make the flight attendant job a safe, secure and respected
career. Much of the time, this fight takes place with our
employers at the bargaining table. However, as workers in an
industry that is heavily regulated by the federal government,
decisions that affect flight attendants’ daily lives and working
conditions are also made in the halls of Congress and by
government agencies. AFA-CWA firmly believes that it is
important for us to have a voice and a presence in Washington,
D.C., and to have a seat at the table in Congress when decisions
that impact our lives are being made.
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