Current Media Releases

Media Advisory: September 24, 2008       
Contact: Corey Caldwell 202-434-0586

Northwest Flight Attendants To Rally At Shareholders Meeting

Northwest Airlines Shareholders Meeting/Flight Attendant Rally
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Time: 9:00 a.m.
AXA Equitable Life Building
787 7th Avenue
New York, NY 10019

Washington, DC - On Thursday, September 25, Northwest flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), will rally outside the Northwest Shareholders Meeting where the merger between the carrier and Delta Air Lines is expected to be approved.

"For over 60 years, Northwest flight attendants have had a direct relationship with their management through their union contract,"said Patricia Friend, AFA-CWA International President. “Delta believes contracts are good for CEO's, Vice Presidents, Boards of Directors, corporate directors and management, but want to deny that same right to over 21,000 Northwest and Delta flight attendants."

Archaic union representation guidelines interpreted by the National Mediation Board (NMB) state that because Delta flight attendants are not represented, the combined work group must vote to become members of AFA-CWA. If less than 50 percent of Delta and Northwest flight attendants participate in the election, the NMB will declare that vote invalid and Northwest flight attendants will lose their contract.

Earlier this year, Delta flight attendants voted to join a union for only the second time in their history. AFA-CWA received 99 percent of the vote, but because voter turnout fell short of the NMB’s arbitrary participation rate of over 50 percent, the election was voided.

The rally is scheduled to include remarks by prominent labor leaders such as AFA-CWA International President Patricia Friend, Northwest AFA-CWA President Kevin Griffin, CWA District Vice President Chris Shelton, IAM General Vice President Robert Roach, IAM District Lodge 143 President Stephen Gordon, and New York City Central Labor Council Executive Director Ed Ott.

AFA-CWA On-Site Media Contact: Dianne Tamuk - 631-944-2119

For over 60 years, the Association of Flight Attendants has been serving as the voice for flight attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill. More than 55,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines come together to form AFA-CWA, the world’s largest flight attendant union. AFA is part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afanet.org.