Agenda Item #17

ASSOCIATION OF FLIGHT ATTENDANTS-CWA, AFL-CIO

FORTY SIXTH BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

APRIL 9 – APRIL 11, 2018

ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY

SUBJECT:     Transitional Local Councils – Filling of Vacancies (Article III A.2.d.) (and administrative edits)

STATEMENT OF QUESTION:

Should the filling of vacant Local Officer positions at Transitional Council’s be examined to determine if vacant positions could be filled by appointments?

SOURCE AND DATE SUBMITTED:    Strategic Planning Committee – March 9, 2018

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Changes in Articles III.A.2.a. and 2.e. are editorial amendments to clarify existing meaning.

More importantly, the purpose of this agenda item is the substantive change in Article III.A.2.d., which is to amend this provision so that vacancies at Transitional Councils will be filled through appointments to better meet the needs of new Transitional Councils.

As a Transitional Council, by definition, does not yet have a Collective Bargaining Agreement, the top priority is to negotiate first CBA.

At Transitional Councils, turn-over among appointed and/or elected Leaders tends to be high.  This turn-over in leadership has caused delays in negotiations as the Transitional Council (and the NMB) waits for the election process to run its 2-3 month duration for nominations and elections.  Even a single vacancy requires a Special Election, which inevitably causes delay and turmoil within the Council.

Appointments would enable negotiations to proceed without delay, and would only be for the remainder of the term.

The Transitional Council would continue to retain the right to petition for an election, if this was the desire.

PROPOSED RESOLUTION:

WHEREAS, changes in Articles III.A.2.a. and 2.e. are editorial for clarification; and,

WHEREAS, the highest priority of a newly established Transitional Council is successful conclusion of the negotiations of the first collective bargaining agreement, and filling of vacancies at a Transitional Council currently requires Special Elections which disrupt and delay these negotiations;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Article III.A.2 be amended as follows:

2. Establishment of Transitional Local Councils for Newly Organized Carriers

a. Local councils established on newly organized carriers without prior Union representation and without a collective bargaining agreement shall be designated Transitional Local Councils.

b. Each Transitional Local Council shall have the following elected Officers: President and Secretary.

c. Promptly after certification of the representation election, the International President will solicit input from the Flight Attendants of the newly organized carrier for names of potential appointees to the positions of the Transitional Local Council Officers. Each potential appointee must receive a minimum of two recommendations and must sign a commitment to serve. Appointment by the International President will be made no later than thirty (30) days after certification of the representation election results. Appointed Transitional Local Council Officers are temporary and shall serve until officers of the Council have been duly elected in accordance with Article VIII.C.1.a.

d. The term of office of the elected Transitional Local Council Officers shall commence upon certification of the election results. The maximum term of office is three (3) years, except that thirty (30) days after an initial contract is ratified, the International Secretary-Treasurer will initiate the election process for regular officers. Should a vacancy in either office occur, the Master Executive Council will appoint a Temporary Officer with the approval of the International President, and the International Secretary-Treasurer shall immediately initiate election procedures and that appointee will complete the remainder of the term. Elected Transitional Local Council Officers shall be considered Officers of the Union and shall have all the same rights and privileges of Local Council Officers as authorized under the Constitution and Bylaws of AFA-CWA.

e. Elected Transitional Local Council Officers shall have all Constitutional jurisdiction and duties of regular Local Council Officers. There shall be no Transitional Local Executive Council. Transitional Local Council Committees shall be those necessary for member communications and negotiations.

Date:   4/9/2018

Time:   7:30 pm

2018 COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION FORM

Agenda Item              17

Committee                 7

Subject:  Filling Vacancies at Transitional Councils (Article III.A.2.d.)

The Committee recommends the resolution be adopted as proposed.

Signature:      Tim Hopkins, Committee Chairperson

Action Taken by the Board:     Voice   X_    Division of the House     Roll Call      

__X____Adopted Unanimously   Date: 4/10/18   Time: 1:39 pm

_______Adopted as Amended

_______Not Adopted

_______Tabled

_______Recommitted to Agenda Committee

_______Withdrawn