Organizing

Know Your Organizing Rights

Union organizing activity is protected under the Railway Labor Act, the federal law that governs labor relations in the airline and rail industries. Employees have the right to determine who their union representative is, without interference or coercion from their employer or their employer’s representatives.

The following guidelines will help you know your rights, and to stay within the prescribed limits for such activity.

• You can talk about the union while you are at work, just like you can talk about the weather, your family or the latest sports scores. Like any other conversation, it should not interfere with work duties.

• Organizing activity, like soliciting your co-workers to sign an AFA representation card, should be limited to non-work times in non-work areas. This means before and after work, or while on a layover, but generally not onboard the aircraft. Also, the crew lounge and other non-work areas at the airport are okay for such activity unless the company has specific, non-discriminatory rules in place that prohibit such activity. Any other location away from work is fine.

• Supervisors must not intimidate, coerce or interfere with you in any way for conducting such organizing activity. If this happens to you please report it to the AFA Legal Department. However, do not be insubordinate. If you are given a direct order by a supervisor or company representative to cease certain union organizing activity, comply with that order and inform AFA immediately.

• It is illegal for the company to favor one union over another, or for one union to be given greater access or fewer restrictions for organizing activity. Again, report any such favoritism to AFA immediately.

• While you are engaged in organizing activity never interfere with another employee in the performance of her or his work duties or cause a disruption in the work place. If someone does not want to talk about the union simply end the conversation politely and walk away.