Government Affairs Committee
Our Voice On Capitol Hill
The Government Affairs Committee brings issues that affect our careers to the attention of our legislators on Capitol Hill as well as to state and local law-makers. The goal of the committee is to legislate as much as possible, taking items off the table so that we won't have to negotiate for them.
News
Before We Get Too Excited About the GOP Ticket
The following is an analysis of speeches being given at the GOP convention.
Attacks, praise stretch truth at GOP convention
By JIM KUHNHENN, Associated Press Writer Wed Sep 3, 11:48 PM ET
ST. PAUL, Minn. - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her Republican supporters held back little Wednesday as they issued dismissive attacks on Barack Obama and flattering praise on her credentials to be vice president. In some cases, the reproach and the praise stretched the truth.
Some examples:
PALIN: “I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending ... and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. I told the Congress ‘thanks but no thanks’ for that Bridge to Nowhere.”
THE FACTS: As mayor of Wasilla, Palin hired a lobbyist and traveled to Washington annually to support earmarks for the town totaling $27 million. In her two years as governor, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, by far the largest per-capita request in the nation. While Palin notes she rejected plans to build a $398 million bridge from Ketchikan to an island with 50 residents and an airport, that opposition came only after the plan was ridiculed nationally as a “bridge to nowhere.”
PALIN: “There is much to like and admire about our opponent. But listening to him speak, it’s easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform - not even in the state senate.”
THE FACTS: Compared to McCain and his two decades in the Senate, Obama does have a more meager record. But he has worked with Republicans to pass legislation that expanded efforts to intercept illegal shipments of weapons of mass destruction and to help destroy conventional weapons stockpiles. The legislation became law last year. To demean that accomplishment would be to also demean the work of Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, a respected foreign policy voice in the Senate. In Illinois, he was the leader on two big, contentious measures in Illinois: studying racial profiling by police and requiring recordings of interrogations in potential death penalty cases. He also successfully co-sponsored major ethics reform legislation.
PALIN: “The Democratic nominee for president supports plans to raise income taxes, raise payroll taxes, raise investment income taxes, raise the death tax, raise business taxes, and increase the tax burden on the American people by hundreds of billions of dollars.”
THE FACTS: The Tax Policy Center, a think tank run jointly by the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, concluded that Obama’s plan would increase after-tax income for middle-income taxpayers by about 5 percent by 2012, or nearly $2,200 annually. McCain’s plan, which cuts taxes across all income levels, would raise after tax-income for middle-income taxpayers by 3 percent, the center concluded.
Obama would provide $80 billion in tax breaks, mainly for poor workers and the elderly, including tripling the Earned Income Tax Credit for minimum-wage workers and higher credits for larger families.
He also would raise income taxes, capital gains and dividend taxes on the wealthiest. He would raise payroll taxes on taxpayers with incomes above $250,000, and he would raise corporate taxes. Small businesses that make more than $250,000 a year would see taxes rise.
MCCAIN: “She’s been governor of our largest state, in charge of 20 percent of America’s energy supply ... She’s responsible for 20 percent of the nation’s energy supply. I’m entertained by the comparison and I hope we can keep making that comparison that running a political campaign is somehow comparable to being the executive of the largest state in America,” he said in an interview with ABC News’ Charles Gibson.
THE FACTS: McCain’s phrasing exaggerates both claims. Palin is governor of a state that ranks second nationally in crude oil production, but she’s no more “responsible” for that resource than President Bush was when he was governor of Texas, another oil-producing state. In fact, her primary power is the ability to tax oil, which she did in concert with the Alaska Legislature. And where Alaska is the largest state in America, McCain could as easily have called it the 47th largest state - by population.
MCCAIN: “She’s the commander of the Alaska National Guard. ... She has been in charge, and she has had national security as one of her primary responsibilities,” he said on ABC.
THE FACTS: While governors are in charge of their state guard units, that authority ends whenever those units are called to actual military service. When guard units are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, for example, they assume those duties under “federal status,” which means they report to the Defense Department, not their governors. Alaska’s national guard units have a total of about 4,200 personnel, among the smallest of state guard organizations.
FORMER ARKANSAS GOV. MIKE HUCKABEE: Palin “got more votes running for mayor of Wasilla, Alaska than Joe Biden got running for president of the United States.”
THE FACTS: A whopper. Palin got 616 votes in the 1996 mayor’s election, and got 909 in her 1999 re-election race, for a total of 1,525. Biden dropped out of the race after the Iowa caucuses, but he still got 76,165 votes in 23 states and the District of Columbia where he was on the ballot during the 2008 presidential primaries.
FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOV. MITT ROMNEY: “We need change, all right - change from a liberal Washington to a conservative Washington! We have a prescription for every American who wants change in Washington - throw out the big-government liberals, and elect John McCain and Sarah Palin.”
THE FACTS: A Back-to-the-Future moment. George W. Bush, a conservative Republican, has been president for nearly eight years. And until last year, Republicans controlled Congress. Only since January 2007 have Democrats have been in charge of the House and Senate.
Posted by Gov Affairs on 09/04 at 07:14 PM
Resolution passed by the Stonewall Democrats
The Stonewall Democrats, the only National Voice of the LGBT Democratic community is a grassroots network connecting LGBT communities across the country advocating for social change. Members represent every age range, geographic area, ethnicity and gender, In 2007 the Stonewall Democrats honored our International President Patricia Friend for her part in advancing the LGBT movement along with other heroes such as Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Rep. John Conyers (D-MI). This past week the Stonewall Democrats passed the following resolution in support of the Northwest Airlines flight attendants.
WHEREAS Delta Airlines and Northwest Airlines have announced a merger, which would produce the nation’s, and potentially the world’s, largest airline and:
WHEREAS currently the flight attendants at Northwest Airlines have over 60 years of collective bargaining and union membership history which has provided the benefits of a union contract that protects their jobs and benefits while Delta flight attendants are not unionized and are subjected to the whims of airline management, and;
WHEREAS when the merger is finalized, the flight attendants at the merged airlines will have an election to determine if they will have a voice on the job, the protections of a contract and union representation, and;
WHEREAS a majority of Delta flight attendants recently signed authorization cards requesting union representation which resulted in a union election amongst the Delta flight attendants, and:
WHEREAS in that election Delta management engaged in an unprecedented intimidation, voter suppression and anti-union campaign the likes of which has never been seen in the airline industry that resulted in not enough flight attendants participating in that election for it to be validated, and;
WHEREAS Delta Airlines management has announced that they will do whatever it takes to remain the world’s largest non-union airline, which includes schemes to outsource flight attendant jobs, and crush any efforts by flight attendants and any other employees to form a union and to gain a voice on the job, and:
WHEREAS everything must be done to protect the long history of collective bargaining rights of the Northwest Airlines flight attendants and to provide for a sound and stable future for the flight attendants of the new merged Delta Airlines,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Stonewall Democrats will stand with Northwest Airlines flight attendants in their fight to preserve their long standing, fundamental and legal rights to collective bargaining and a union contract in the face of an historic anti-union, voter suppression campaign by the Delta Airlines CEO and management and:
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Stonewall Democrats calls upon all elected Democratic officials across this country to stand up and send a clear message to Delta Airlines management that their anti-union behavior will not be tolerated and that airline management must remain neutral in order to let the flight attendants of that airline decide on union representation free from undue interference and intimidation.
Posted by Gov Affairs on 08/25 at 09:50 AMThe Power of Your Vote!
The Importance of The Presidency and the importance of your decision.
At about this time just before every Presidential election many of us have decided whom we will be voting for in November. Some of us are not sure and are listening carefully to each candidate in hopes of hearing something that will give us an indication on who would be the better choice. All of us should know and be aware of the importance of our choice. Anyone in doubt of the importance of our choice need go no further than some past administrations that have come into office with great hope and ended up disappointing us with their decisions, especially in the area of appointments. Whether you vote Republican, Democrat or Independent we should all take our responsibility seriously and vote according not only to our personal values, but also taking under consideration what effect our choice will have on our families, our jobs, our livelihood, our future and the future of our country.
The most important thing to remember about voting for a new Administration is knowing that whomever we vote for will be appointing judges to Courts across the nation and the Supreme Court as well as heads of agencies that will directly determine our future. Even when their Presidential tenures only last four years, the effects of their decisions can last a lifetime. Although anyone appointed to these various courts and agencies must be qualified, every Administration gets to appoint their friends and supporters and as such loyalty plays a huge role. Congress must approve most of these choices, but as we have seen in the past, most appointees get through the toughest of scrutiny and all appointees remain loyal to the Administration that appointed them.
As Aviation workers, we should pay special attention to appointments to such agencies as the National Mediation Board and the Federal Aviation Agency. Both of these agencies are charged with guiding our industry in the areas of safety regulations and how and / or when we vote for representation, or even if we keep our collective bargaining rights. In the case of Northwest Airlines, we are well aware of the power that the National Mediation Board and the courts can have on our livelihood.
The importance of the Presidency and the influence it has on our lives does not stop at appointments. As witnessed when we lobby for changes to laws that affect our workplace like the recent clarification to the FMLA laws. We are seeing that even when we garner bi-partisan and overwhelming support in one House, the administration and its agencies can have enough influence to kill the bill in another.
As November 4 nears listen carefully to each candidate and determine which one will appoint leaders to the courts and Federal agencies that will take under consideration your best interest as an Aviation worker. Make sure that your decision is the right decision for you and your family. Never underestimate the importance of your decision and the Presidency on your future.
Posted by Gov Affairs on 07/18 at 08:28 AM
Thank you Northwest Flight Attendants!
For helping secure support for HR2744, The Airline Crew (FMLA) Technical Corrections Act. The bill passed the House with a resounding 402 to 9. This victory belongs to all of us that called and sent letters to our legislators. We now must focus on the Senate companion bill S2059 before it can become law. To date we have 28 Senators on the bill but need twice that many and we need your help. The following a list of the 28 Senators that have cosponsored the bill. If you do not see your Senator on the list please call today. Please call your Senators and ask them to cosponsor S2059 (follow the script below). We must move fast on this in order to get this bill to the president for his signature by the end of this Congressional session.
Just follow this simple script when you call:
“I am a resident of (State) and a voter. I want Senator
Boxer - CA, Brown - OH, Byrd - WV, Cantwell - WA, Cardin - MD, Carper - DE, Clinton - NY, Coleman - MN, Collins - ME, Dodd - CT, Durbin - IL
Feingold - WI, Feinstein - CA, Harkin - IA, Kennedy - MA, Kerry - MA, Klobuchar - MN, Lautenberg - NJ, Lieberman - CT, Menendez - NJ
Mikulski - MD, Murkowski - AK, Murray - WA, Obama - IL, Rockefeller - W, Schumer - NY, Specter - PA, Tester - MT
We Did It! - HR2744 Passes the House
On Tuesday, May 20 the House of Representatives passed the Airline Crew (FMLA) Technical Corrections Act (HR2744). The final count was 402 to 9, an impressive and substantial majority. The successful passage of this bill is due to the grass roots effort by all of us that sent in letters and called our elected officials asking them to support this very important legislation. We would like to especially express our gratitude to Shane Larson, AFA-CWA Director of Government Affairs for his guidance as well as the other Government Affairs activists at our airline and from the other 21 AFA-CWA represented carriers that worked tirelessly to make this happen. A special thank you to Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) one of the original copsonsors of the bill that helped us gain other GOP cosponsors. We now must focus on the companion bill in the Senate (S2059). We currently have 24 cosponsors and would like to continue the bi-partisan trend that we currently enjoy in the Senate bill. The hurdle that we face now is educating the Senate on the uniqueness of our schedules, just like we did in the House. For example, the Bush Administration’s Department of Labor (DOL) does not consider our reserve flight attendants full time employees saying that their on-call periods should not be credited toward the hours needed to qualify for FMLA. Clearly they do not understand - We will make them understand. If you have not already done so please call your Senators and let them know how important this law is to all crewmembers. For a phone script and to find your Senators’ contact information please click on the links to the right of this page. To view a video of opening remarks by Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY) on the House floor click on the link to the right.
Once the Senate bill passes, both bills will be combined and sent to the President for his signature. This new law will not only benefit AFA-CWA flight attendants, but all flight attendants and pilots in the U.S. Crewmembers will finally be able to meet the defined minimum number of hours for FMLA coverage, (60 percent of a full-time schedule) based on their airline’s monthly flying requirements. No longer will crewmembers need to negotiate for fair FMLA benefits. We are very proud of this fact once again proving that your Union can be effective in taking issues off the negotiations table through successful legislation.
Albert and Diana
Posted by Gov Affairs on 05/21 at 02:58 PM
First Hurdle for FMLA - HR2744
The following is a message from AFA-CWA Government Affairs Director, Shane Larson.
Great news! Yesterday, the House Education and Labor Committee met to consider HR 2744, our FMLA for flight attendants legislation. There was a short discussion of the bill where a number of Representatives expressed their strong support for the bill. When the bill finally came up for a vote, it was approved on a unanimous bipartisan vote of 43-0!!
This is great news as not one Representative voted against the legislation. The bill will no go to the House floor where it will be put on the “suspension calendar”. This is a special legislative process where non-controversial bills are brought up for a final vote with no debate, no roll call vote and no opposition. It is quickly brought up for a voice vote and it passes before you can even blink. We are not sure, but believe that this will happen next week, or the first week in June when Congress returns from their week long Memorial Day recess. I will let everyone know. Once this happens, we are finally half way there.
Once the House completes work, our attention will be on getting this through the United States Senate. We remain hopeful that we can get it done on the Senate side as easily as we have on the House side so far. However, the Bush Department of Labor is trying to stir up opposition to the bill on the fact that it would cover 100% of all flight attendants on reserve status. They have stated repeatedly that reserves are not actually working, so their on call time should not count towards FMLA qualification. No matter how many times we explain the unique circumstances of reserves, the Bush Department of Labor continues to refer to reserves as “those part time flight attendants.”
We will need to rally to get this through the Senate, so stay tuned for a call of action in June.
But for now, let’s savor this amazing victory of having a unanimous vote for our issue in the Education and Labor Committee. Job well done everyone!!
We would like to add a special thanks to all the Northwest Flight Attendants that made calls and sent in letters to their legislators. This success is proof that a grass roots effort with a focused message works! We would especially like to recognize the MSP Local95 Government Affairs committee for calling hundreds of MSP flight attendants asking them to call their legislators and securing the support of Rep. John Kline (R-MN), an important member if this committee who’s support we needed for passage. - Albert and Diana
HR2744 Markup scheduled for Wednesday May 14
The Airline Crew FMLA Technical Corrections Act of 2008 or HR2744 will be marked up on Wednesday May 14. When a bill goes through the process of a markup it is brought to committee and finalized prior to sending it on to the House floor for a vote. Currently we are at 239 cosponsors, well over 50%. We are confident that the bill will pass the House. We will keep you updated on the vote; when and how many votes were cast and the outcome of the vote. The success of HR2744 is due to the efforts of all of you that sent in letters and called your elected officials urging them to cosponsor this bill.
So what is next?
We are currently seeking and generating cosponsors for the companion bill on the Senate side, S.2059, which currently has 23 cosponsors, just 3 cosponsors away from a majority. Once this bill goes to the Senate floor for a vote and passes that body, both bills will be combined into one and sent on to the President for his signature. Once the President signs the bill, it will become law.
Posted by Gov Affairs on 05/13 at 01:02 PMMEC Government Affairs Committee Update: AFA-CWA Declares Victory on Capitol Hill
The CWA Legislative-Political Conference wrapped up on April 9 with outstanding results for Flight Attendants, proving that with the support of our Union and our collective activism, our voices can be heard! (A detailed report from a participant will be on this page soon.) This year, AFA-CWA had more participants at the Conference than ever: over 80 activists from AFA-CWA airlines - including 13 from NWA - marched on Capitol Hill to advocate on our behalf. After three days of visits to Capitol Hill, we now have 220 co-sponsors for The Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act (HR2744). When enacted, this will ensure that crew members are covered as intended under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. No longer will we have to negotiate a benefit that is our right under federal law.
This effort - and this victory - belongs to all of us who made calls and sent letters to Congress urging support of both HR2744 and S2059, the Senate bill. With a majority in the House, we are now focused on generating a majority in the Senate. We need both bills to pass before going to the President for his signature. Though a majority in each House is impressive, our ultimate goal is to garner at least two-thirds support in both Houses of Congress to override a Presidential veto. If you have been yet unable to participate, please call or write your Senator(s) and/or Representative and ask for support of this legislation. To find out if your Representative and Senator has already cosponsored these bills click on “Look Up Bills” and insert the number of the bill (HR2744/S2059) and search for a list of current cosponsors under Bill Summary and Status. For a copy of the letter and a phone script, click on the link to the right of this page.
Government Affairs Goes to Washington
Representatives from your local Government Affairs committees and your MEC Government Affairs Committee will be in Washington DC attending the annual CWA Legislative Conference from Sunday, April 6 to Wednesday, April 9. They will join other activists from the AFA-CWA as well as hundreds of CWA activists to ensure that or union voices are heard by our elected officials. This year as in past years your committee activists will focus on flight attendant issues. Our focus this year is on The Airline Crew Member FMLA Technical Corrections Act, (HR2744 in the House and S2059 in the Senate). Appointments have been made both with House Representatives as well as Senate offices to discuss this legislation in hopes of gaining support. At present we have 200 co-sponsors on the House bill and 9 co-sponsors on the Senate bill. Much of the support we have garnered has been in reponse to the many letters and phone calls thet you have made advocating for these bills and we thank you. But, our work has just begun. We need at least 219 co-sponsors in the House to get a majority and send the legislation to the House floor for a vote and we have just barely begun on the Senate side. This week is our opportunity to put a face to all of those letters and phone calls that you have made to Congress. We will be reporting on our progress as soon as we return form Washington DC.
Posted by Gov Affairs on 04/05 at 09:27 AMMN Central Labor Council 7MAR08
“It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it’s a depression when you lose your own.”
- President Harry S. Truman
“...since the year 2000, the average family has lost $1,000 in income after you adjust for inflation. We’ve seen increasing productivity, flat wages, and skyrocketing profits. Which means that the owners of big business have taken that productivity gain unto themselves. I believe that more than ever, we need a high-wage strategy in American society...that make the average working American the VIP of the American economy...”
- Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), Minnesota Monitor interview, March 4, 2008
On March 7, 2008 MEC President Kevin Griffin, Vice President/Government Affairs Chair Albert Garcia, Secretary-Treasurer Mark Gehrt, MSP Council 95 Government Affairs Chair Camilla Wolkerstorfer, NYC Council 91Government Affairs Chair Rene Foss, and committee members Lori Gandrud, Julienne Wyckoff, and Angie Wood attended a breakfast at the Minnesota Central Labor Council in Minneapolis. Other attendees included pilots from Champion Airlines, Pinnacle Airlines and IAM members and leaders along with representatives from other Minnesota labor unions (postal workers, nurses, and CWA members).
The speaker was Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN). The topic of discussion was the Northwest Airlines/Delta Air Lines potential merger.
The issue of a potential merger between Northwest and Delta is important on many levels. First, as flight attendants, we are greatly concerned that we could ultimately lose our union representation and our collective bargaining rights in the event Delta Air Lines flight attendants choose to remain non-union. Losing our union could be devastating to our group as a whole and to us as individuals because without union representation there would be no contract, meaning no legally binding agreement regarding our pay, benefits, work rules and job protection.
Second, the outcome of this possible merger will establish a precedent for future mergers not only in the airline industry but in other industries as well. If corporate America is successful in breaking the unity of workers, then the pay and benefits we have fought to obtain over many years could disappear completely.
On a larger scale, many American workers are being affected by an administration that favors big business and often overlooks the “little guy”, while in fact it’s usually the “little guy’s” labor that bears fruit for big business. Together workers must speak out against this injustice and communicate our dissatisfaction to the elected leaders of this country.
Congressmen Ellison asked for input on the specifics of how the merger might impact flight attendants. The issue of outsourcing was raised because without our union and contract, specifically Section I (Recognition, Scope and Job Security), we could very well see many jobs outsourced to foreign nationals.
This is not only true in the airline industry, but other industries as well. Most people at the table felt it is time for labor to stand up and reclaim its position and flex its muscle by sending this message to Capitol Hill: American workers demand to be recognized. The other Labor groups at the meeting expressed solidarity with and support for the Northwest flight attendants. They offered to assist on our behalf through their own unions by demanding congressional hearings on the potential merger, not only on Capitol Hill, but also on a state level in Minnesota.
Most of the people at the meeting were Minnesota residents and they expressed great concern about the obligations Northwest Airlines has to the state. The taxpayers have financed many of Northwest’s endeavors, and in return expect Northwest to fulfill its promises of maintaining a hub in Minneapolis and retaining a certain amount of jobs in the state. In the last year alone, the state of Minnesota lost nearly 23,000 jobs. In addition, Minnesota residents often depend on Northwest for transportation within a five state region that is only served by Northwest.
If Northwest should back out on any or all of its obligations to the state of Minnesota, many individuals and local businesses would be adversely affected. This is most likely true in other hubs cities like Detroit and Memphis. Congressmen Ellison strongly emphasized the importance of reaching out and connecting with other workers and residents in these states. We must join together and send a unified message to congress that we will not be ignored as citizens and workers. Our future success depends on recognizing that we are all connected and working for the greater good of all American workers.
Congressmen Ellison assured us he would take the following steps on our behalf:
- He will continue his dialogue with Northwest CEO Doug Steenland and continue to express the viewpoints of his constituents regarding merger concerns.
- He will write a letter to Richard Anderson asking him to allow the flight attendants’ representation election process to proceed at Delta without any outside interference from management.
- He will begin to research amendments to the Railway Labor Act in hopes of changing or eliminating archaic rules that are holding back our collective bargaining.
- He will look into the possibility of calling for congressional hearings which could require Northwest and/or Delta to appear before a committee and answer questions on the merger.
Congressmen Ellison’s next Labor breakfast will take place in 4 to 6 weeks. We will keep you informed on the above topics and pass on more information as it becomes available.
by Rene Foss, Council 91 (NYC) Government Affairs Chair
Posted by Communications on 03/14 at 08:40 AMFMLA - Where we are at
First I would like to thank everyone for sending in your letters and calling your legislators on behalf of this very important piece of legislation. We have come along way from the day when Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY) introduced HR2744. Since then we have been able to secure over 195 co-sponsors on the House bill and a companion bill was introduced by Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY). We are now at a very key time for us to get this legislation done. Please remember that every day that brings us closer to the election, the lower our odds of getting this passsed become. We need to really focus right now on getting this done.
Let us start with a review of where we are as of March 21, 2008. HR 2744 is up to 195 sponsors with 26 of them being Republicans. S. 2059 has 9 sponsors total (Clinton and eight others). The others are Democrats Kennedy (MA), Sherrod Brown (OH), Menendez (NJ), Rockefeller (WV) and the Republicans are Coleman (MN), Murkowski (AK), Collins (ME) and Specter (PA). No hearings have been scheduled on the legislation.
At this point, we believe we need to single mindedly focus on moving HR 2744 in the House. We need to focus solely on House offices and not allow us to split our attention between the House and the Senate. That is not to say that you should stop sening letters and calling your Senators. In April, your Government Affairs Committee members from around the system and all of the AFA-CWA represented airlines will be attending the CWA Legislative Conference in Washington D.C. We will spend the bulk of the legislative conference lobbying Senate offices on S. 2059. Visiting all remaining 91 Senate offices that have not yet cosponsored - even if they’ve been visited already - will be the first priority of the Legislative Conference lobby visits. In the meantime, we are focusing on moving this in the House. Also, the Senate has told us that they are awaiting House action before moving it there.
We need to get at least 291 cosponsors in order to move it to the House floor. At the rate we’ve been bringing in cosponsors - 4 or 5 on a good week - it will take forever to get another approximately 95 cosponsors - especially when factoring in all the Congressional recesses, (Congressional time off).
The other option is to get 218 -an absolute majority. Once we have a clear majority of the House cosponsoring the legislation, we can go to the Committee and House leadership and demand that they move the bill quickly. We are almost there. Just 22 more to go. But we need to step up the pace and the pressure on these offices.
That being said, we need everyone to please help focus on getting us over the hump in the next couple of weeks. We need everyone out there making is calling their Representatives and Senators. Please get out there and tell your flying partners to call their Congressmen. Click on the link to the right and you can find your Congressman’s phone number.
We need to regroup, refocus and make this happen. We are running out of time and we need to finish this up on the House side asap. We’re getting their attention, now let’s just prove to them that we have the ability to make this happen.
Just remind yourself that if you think this is a lot of work, that we will have to do it all over again in January of 2009 if we don’t get it past in the next couple of months. All this hard work and we will have to do it all over again next year if we don’t rally to get this done now.
Thank you again to everyone for your activism!
Albert
Posted by Gov Affairs on 03/03 at 04:45 PMLooking For People With Passion!
If you are interested in government. If you have a passion for the direction our country is taking. If you want to help make a difference in how labor issues are considered in Congress. If you care about the future of our careers, you may be the person we are looking for. We need to establish Government Affairs Committees Chairs, Vice Chairs and volunteers at every base. These committees will work closely with the MEC Government Affairs committee as well as the AFA-CWA International Government Affairs staff to get our message to Capital Hill. Contact your Local Executive Council and let them know you are interested in Government Affairs.
Posted by NWA Webmaster on 02/15 at 06:45 PM