This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants
August: Government Affairs and Human Rights Update
Government Affairs
SCOTUS Voting Rights Decision: How Does This Impact Flight Attendants?
On Aug. 24, the SCOTUS lifted a lower-court injunction on procedural/standing grounds, allowing the current administration’s restrictions on mail-in voting to move forward. However, as of Aug. 28, another federal judge has temporarily blocked the USPS rule that would allow these restrictions to move forward in implementation. The rule could make the USPS charged with determining who receives a mail ballot in November. This is federal overreach as it oversteps the states’ constitutional authority to administer their own elections.
Voting by mail is essential for Flight Attendants, as many of us are away from our voting jurisdictions and working on Election Day. It ensures that we have the opportunity to make our voices heard, regardless of where our schedules take us.
It is important to note that this situation is still very fluid, which is why making a plan to vote early is going to be crucial this election season as we cannot assume the current rules will remain the same. If you have a mail-in ballot requested or automatically being sent in your state, please do not hold on to it. Be sure to mail your ballot ASAP after completing it or drop it off at a designated location, as designated by your state and county.
Now more than ever, we must remain vigilant about voting practices, ensure that our ballot is cast and our vote is counted, because EVERY VOTE COUNTS!
Read More:
- NPR: Supreme Court Ruling on Mail-In Voting
- PBS NewsHour: Supreme Court Mail-In Voting Ruling Explained
- ACLU: Challenge to Newly Finalized Mail Ballot Rule
- Voting Rights Lab: Proposed USPS Mail Ballot Rule
Upcoming September Primary Dates
- Sept. 1: MA
- Sept. 8: NH
- Sept. 9: RI
- Sept. 15: DE
Labor Endorsements
- AFA-CWA Endorsements
- California Labor Federation Endorsements
- Washington State Labor Council Endorsements
Midterm Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 3
Please remember to make a plan to vote! Many of us have moved and/or experienced redistricting of our state maps. Your voting location and/or registration status may have changed. Check your registration status, voting location and request a mail-in ballot (if that is your preferred voting method) and return it ASAP. Do not hold on to your ballot until the last minute.
Check out AFA’s Voting Page for more information.
Training Opportunity: CWA’s Fighting Oligarchy (Virtual)
CWA Fighting Oligarchy is CWA’s new political education training focused on understanding the current political crisis working people face in 2026.
Participants in this session learn about what “Oligarchy” is and the tools the billionaire class use to consolidate their power at our expense. Training participants explore international, historical and modern U.S. case studies on how this rule of the super wealthy took root and how the power of an organized working class can win once again. Training participants are briefed on CWA’s political strategy and how to get involved to fight back for working-class power.
This training will be broken up into four 90-minute blocks over the course of September:
- September 3: Part 1: What is Oligarchy?
- September 10: Part 2: How Movements Can Win
- September 17: Part 3: Case Study: The Workers of Chile Defeat Oligarchy
- September 24: Part 4: Our Plan to Win: CWA vs. The Oligarchy
Each session will start at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT and end at 9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT.
Register for CWA’s Fighting Oligarchy Training
FlightPAC
FlightPAC is our way of having a voice in Washington, D.C., where lawmakers make decisions impacting our careers, our livelihood every day. It is our way to build political power for us and our careers. Consider making a contribution.
Ready to sign up? Contact Bruni.
Human Rights and Equity
Days of Observance/Holidays
United Nations Human Rights Calendar: September 2026
- Sept. 7: Labor Day
- Sept. 8: International Literacy Day
- Sept. 10: World Suicide Prevention Day
- Sept. 11: 9/11 Remembrance
- Sept. 11–12: Rosh Hashanah
- Sept. 15: International Day of Democracy
- Sept. 20–21: Yom Kippur
- Sept. 21: International Day of Peace and World Alzheimer’s Day
- Sept. 23: Bi Visibility Day
- Sept. 25–Oct. 2: Sukkot
Hispanic Latinx Heritage Month is Sept. 15–Oct. 15!
It is a month-long celebration of the histories, cultures and contributions of the Hispanic and Latinx communities. This is a great opportunity to take time to expand our minds (and perhaps palates!) throughout the month.
Tip: Look for cultural and educational events happening in your area. A great start could be your local library!
Wear your AFA diversity pin!
A Little Labor Day History
From Union Plus
Before workers organized and formed unions, there were no regulations surrounding employment, and employers often took advantage of this freedom. This meant that employees were very often required to work extraordinarily long hours, and with no job protection from discrimination, or even violence. Worse still, young children were often put to work in factories, mines, railroads, warehouses, and other dangerous work environments.
How It Began
Working people began organizing and bargaining collectively to advocate for better working conditions and wages and celebrated the first Labor Day in New York City on Tuesday, September 5, 1882. Following the deaths of 13 workers during the Pullman Strike in June of 1894, President Grover Cleveland made reconciliation with the labor movement a top priority of his administration, making Labor Day a federal holiday in 1894.
During the major economic depression of the early 1890s, the Pullman Palace Car Company cut wages in its factories. Discontented workers joined the American Railway Union (ARU), led by Eugene V. Debs, which supported their strike by launching a boycott of all Pullman cars on all railroads. ARU members across the nation refused to switch Pullman cars onto trains. When these switchmen were disciplined, the entire ARU struck the railroads on June 26, 1894. Within four days, 125,000 workers on twenty-nine railroads had quit work rather than handle Pullman cars.
How Unions Impact Our Lives Today
In the years since, labor unions have served as a united voice for workers of all professions by bargaining collectively with employers to advocate for better wages, working conditions and to establish parameters of work life that have become commonplace and law, such as the eight-hour workday, five-day workweek, protection for children in the workplace and the federal minimum wage.
Questions/Concerns Regarding ICE Activity at Our U.S. Airports?
Check out AFA’s Guide for Your Rights in U.S. Domestic Airports.
CWA Human Rights Conference Recap
C.47 Alexandra Roa & Bruni Agosto-Pinal and C.43 LEC Secretary Soon Kim represented AFA at the biennial CWA Human Rights Conference where they experienced days full of education, inspiration and most importantly, on the last day, activism related to a slew of topics affecting us all, from political activism, military veteran support all the way to the Delta AFA campaign!
Bruni was not only an attendee, but also a sitting member of the CWA Women’s Committee and therefore had a role in much of the behind-the-scenes work related to the conference events as hosted by the CWA Human Rights Committee. She also presented on the impact of Federal DEI rollbacks and its impact on Black women in the federal workforce on Day 1 of the conference.
CWA members from all across the nation attended, networked across sectors and honed in on core issues surrounding all of us as workers, while focusing on ways to build worker power, together.
Workshops included topics on artificial intelligence, immigration, finding balance as a worker, gender justice, and more! This was a wonderful experience for us all and we are further equipped with topics, tools and information we can bring back to our councils and flying partners to continue the great work this committee does.
Mahalo,
Bruni Agosto-Pinal
Government Affairs Chairperson
Human Rights & Equity Chairperson
Council 47 LAX/SEA
bruni.agosto-pinal@afahawaiian.org
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