Association of Passenger Service Agents/CWA Local 6001

Enough agents in reservations and airports signed representation cards for our last election.  Unfortunately our committees were not big enough at every location to offset the Anti-Union campaign run by the company.  Fifteen percent of the agents who signed cards never mailed in their ballots.  A ballot not voted is counted as a NO vote.

You can talk about the union with your fellow employees as long as it is in non-work areas at non-work times.  This means before/after your shift or during your breaks in breakrooms, outside, or in cafeterias.  You are allowed to talk about the union if you're allowed to talk about other non-work related things as long as it doesn't interfer with you or a co-worker doing your job.  You shouldn't talk about the union infront of or while on the phone with customers.  (Click on the Know Your Rights link for more information.)

Contact the APSA/CWA office below and speak to an officer or an organizer to set up a meeting for your station.  They will assist you with building a committee, train you in the process, and help you build support at your location.

Being at top pay without a union contract doesn't mean it can't change whenever the company decides to change it.  Vacation time, sick days, insurance and retiree medical could all be changed or stopped without being negoatiated.  At least with a union contract these things can be negotiated and not arbitrarily changed.  US Airways wanted to drop the agents pay, that was higher than American Airlines', to 14.50 an hour maximum during the bankruptcy.  They couldn't and didn't change it because it had to be negotiated.

Although nobody knows what will happen if American Eagle is sold off, it could very well have an impact on the number of jobs at American Airlines station's where American Airlines handles American Eagle ticketing and baggage check-in functions.  If the carrier were sold they could contract the work to anyone they wish.  This is another area that is handled by a union contract because it affects pay, benefits and working conditions.  Nobody knows how travel benefits will be handled either. 

Although we're not sure what the company will do to maximum pay with this years raise announcement for the agents, we do know that this was the last year the company guaranteed 11 years to maximum pay.  It was in a 5 year pay plan and is set to expire.  We do know that in reservations the maximum pay for Home Based Workers and Reduced Work Week employees is 15.00 and 16.00 respectfully.  In addition there is no set number of years to reach these new maximum hourly rates.  Most benefits we receive now have been taken away from these groups.  The company could force the new pay and benefits on everyone without a union contract, whether or not you are at maximum pay, if they wanted to.