Dear Sisters and Brothers,

You are busy balancing family, friendships and your flight schedule. I respect that. But if more money, more flexibility and more democracy are important to you, then I ask you to spend a few minutes reading this letter.

The merger of United, Continental and Continental Micronesia Airlines offers you a chance to balance competing claims and decide what feels right to you ... what works best for you … what’s in your best interest. 

Do you want a union that listens to you?

The IAM does. It is how we negotiate great contracts. Our members’ suggestions become our demands. Their priorities become our priorities. And when negotiations conclude, our members get to vote up or down on what the company proffered.  

Do you want a union that fights for you? 

At the negotiating table, I know the IAM fights for every dollar. The IAM contract just ratified by Continental Flight Attendants lets them earn $13,035.60 more per year than CWA-AFA members earn at United. And IAM members voted twice on that contract – in just the last four months – to get what they deserved. 

How would I know? As the IAM International President, I paid close attention as its terms were negotiated.

Do you want a union that fits the life-style of today’s Flight Attendant? 

So do I. 

To represent and serve 25,000 United Airlines Flight Attendants with bases across the globe, the IAM must change. Fortunately, the IAM Constitution is very adaptable when it comes to union structure. So here’s my commitment to you: 

• Following the representation election, the IAM will establish Locals at each new domestic and international base. Training for newly-elected officers will be conducted at the IAM’s training facility.
  
• The IAM will immediately establish a committee of Flight Attendants from each pre-merger airline to develop a structure that works for the Flight Attendant membership at the new United Airlines. Representatives from each domestic and international base will be members of this committee.
  
• The contract the IAM negotiates for the combined Flight Attendant membership will contain the best of the individual pre-merger agreements. The new Union structure developed by Flight Attendants will similarly borrow the best from the two current structures.

The IAM will create a unique organization – designed by Flight Attendants and, exclusively, for Flight Attendants – and not a carbon copy of either union from days gone by. Ultimately, Flight Attendants and only Flight Attendants will vote on the structure developed and constructed by their peers. 

This is a new era. The old guard must give way to new ideas, new structures and new leaders. At the IAM, we are committed to work with Flight Attendants to redefine how they are represented, what structures best support their hopes, which leaders can
attract their votes, and how their aspirations can be met. 

I am Tom Buffenbarger. I look forward to fighting side by side with you – and for you – to build a stronger, more democratic and more effective union for the Flight Attendants at the merged United, Continental and Continental Micronesia Airlines. 

In Solidarity, 

R. Thomas Buffenbarger
International President 

P.S. When you get a chance, please check out IAMNOW.org for campaign updates or join the conversation on the IAM NOW Facebook page. 

A PDF of this letter is available here.