Myth: The AFA-CWA is responsible for Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) coverage applying to Flight Attendants.

Busted: The AFA-CWA is trying to re-write history, hoping nobody would notice.

The IAM began negotiating language into our Flight Attendant Agreements that exceeded FMLA coverage 15 years before the law became applicable to Flight Attendants. And much of the language used in 2009 to extend FMLA coverage to all Flight Attendants (and Pilots) was lifted directly from what the IAM negotiated in 1994.

As soon as it was clear the original FMLA would not apply to Flight Attendants, the IAM began negotiating FMLA guarantees in our contracts. Although the 1993 law did not apply to Flight Attendants, nothing prevented the AFA from immediately negotiating similar benefits.

The IAM and several other Flight Attendant unions, including the Association of Professional
Flight Attendants, Transport Workers Union, United Steel Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, worked with the AFL-CIO to push the initial passage of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and its belated application to Flight Attendants.

The AFA-CWA is constantly seeking assistance from the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department, the Coalition of Flight Attendant Unions, individual unions like the IAM and, in many cases, the International
Transport Workers Federation, yet they demand sole credit for multi-union initiatives.

The IAM - and many other unions -  worked hard to extend FMLA protection to all Flight Attendants. Unfortunately, AFA-CWA Flight Attendants missed out on the law’s benefits for the 15 years their union failed to negotiate them.

The AFA-CWA’s strategy of trying to legislate or litigate what it is unable to negotiate hurt their members that needed FMLA protection.

You can view and print this IAM flyer below or download a PDF version here.