Seattle Flight Attendants,
The Council 19 Election Cycle is underway! Please make sure that you receive your nomination ballots and nominate the candidates you desire to serve as your Local Executive Officers: President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, and 2 Council Representative Positions.
Nomination Schedule:
MAIL DATE: 01-24-17 Voting Notice and Voting Guide are mailed containing your personal 16-digit activation code
POLLS OPEN: 01-26-17 12:00 PM EST Polls Open and voting begins
POLLS CLOSE: 02-15-17 2:00 PM EST Polls close and the election count takes place.
Election Schedule:
MAIL DATE: 03-20-17 Voting Notice and Voting Guide are mailed containing your personal 16-digit activation code
POLLS OPEN: 03-22-17 Polls Open and voting begins
POLLS CLOSE: 04-11-17 Polls close and the election count takes place.
For more information on the election process click the following link:
http://afacwa-elections.org/councils/ala-council-19-sea/
On the AFA International Website you can also find information on each of the positions, what to expect when running for office, and other helpful hints to help you with your campaign.
http://afacwa-elections.org/election-handbook/
Council 19 is hosting a “Meet the Candidates” Forum on March 29, 2017
1:00pm-4:00 pm
Hilton SEA TAC Airport
Remember, recent changes to the C&B do not allow you to change your vote once it is cast. If you would like to meet the candidates running for office please mark this date on your calendar. Polls Open March 22, 2017, and close on April 11, 2017.
All candidates running for office are invited to attend this meeting.
Per the Election handbook:
Appearance at a Local Union Meeting. {Article VIII D.3.a}
Here too, all candidates must be treated equally. If Local Council is to be used for candidate debates, literature distribution or other campaign purposes, all candidates must be given equal access to the meeting. Likewise, all candidates should be notified of the planned meeting date no later than the general meeting notice. Flight pay loss for candidates may not be used for such a meeting.
Information on the LEC Officer Positions:
Running for Office
A. Minimum Qualifications Necessary to Run for Local Office
{Article III C.2}
Under AFA-CWA’s Constitution, you must be an active member in good standing from the Local Executive Council at the time of nomination and election. This is the only eligibility requirement in the AFA-CWA Constitution & Bylaws.
B. Duties and Responsibilities of Local Council Officers
{Article III C.3}
The duties and responsibilities of an LEC Officer are outlined in the AFA-CWA Constitution & Bylaws. However, the role of the officers is much more than can be written into any document. Members in good standing elect officers to represent them in all union business and to be their voice at the bargaining table. The Local Executive Council is charged with managing the affairs and business of the union at the Local Council level including establishing committees, conducting membership meetings, and processing grievances, to name a few. Ultimately these responsibilities fall upon the LEC President.
As a member of the Master Executive Council (MEC) and of the AFA-CWA Board of Directors (BOD), the LEC President has the ability to shape the union at every level. MECs, the highest governing bodies at each airline, direct union activity at their respective carriers and are ultimately responsible for the direction of negotiations. The AFA-CWA BOD, the highest governing body of our union, has ultimate responsibility for the direction of our union.
The LEC Vice President works at the direction of the LEC President and, in the case of the LEC President’s absence, assumes responsibility for the work of the Local Council, MEC and BOD.
The LEC Secretary assists the President in administering Local Council funds, maintaining Council records and any other duties as assigned by the President.
The Local Council Representatives (Council Reps) assist all officers of the Local Council. Council Reps shall not succeed to any vacant office in a Local Executive Council.
The role of a union officer is more than just a title; it is a whole host of responsibilities.
**NOTE: New Officer Training will be offered in 2 separate sessions prior to taking office. A 2-day New Officer Orientation will be scheduled during the 2nd full week of May and the 2nd full week of November during election cycle years. The orientation session will be followed after taking office by a second session entitled New Officer Training. The training sessions will be scheduled during the 2nd full week of August and the last week of January during election cycle years.
C. Experience and Skills Important to Being an Effective Officer
Experience is extremely important and having held previous union positions is certainly useful. As with most other careers, you will not usually start at the top but begin in an entry level position. For AFA-CWA that means gaining experience by serving on a committee that interests you or volunteering to work in an unofficial capacity. Through hands-on experience you learn the structure of AFA-CWA and what representing your co-workers involves. Work experience from a past job or from volunteer work outside the union may well provide useful technical skills to support your candidacy. It is possible for a member with no previous AFA-CWA experience to get elected and be an effective leader, but it requires hard work and time to learn the job.
The flight attendant membership will expect a union officer to be familiar with the contract or, in the case of a newly organized carrier, with what the flight attendants hope to secure in a first contract. They will want their leaders to care about solving problems on and off the line. Understanding the carrier’s goals and needs will help in working out problems with the company management.
The local council office must administer and maintain a budget, provide oversight and direction to flight attendants on local committees and ensure these committees function properly, be knowledgeable of business communications procedures, understand the functioning of office equipment, and be willing to acquire new skills at AFA-CWA leadership training seminars.
The actual job requirements will vary from council to council primarily because the size of AFA-CWA councils varies significantly. For a full understanding of the workload of your local council, you can talk with current local officers.
Finally, commitment is essential. At times, the hours are long and the challenges trying. The support of your family will be critical. If you are determined that these difficulties will not get you down and if you are dedicated to solving problems and resolving disputes, you may find union leadership very rewarding.
We hope that you all participate in the election process. If you have any questions you can contact LEC President, Laura Masserant
