SENATE CONFIRMS FORMER AFA-CWA PRESIDENT TO NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD

Washington, DC –Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) International President Patricia Friend issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate confirmed Linda Puchala to the National Mediation Board (NMB):

“Linda Puchala will be a valuable addition to the NMB which is so critical to labor relations in the aviation industry. There are difficult issues facing America’s aviation workers and we applaud President Obama for his prompt nomination and the Senate for confirming Ms. Puchala. At a time when many airline employees are engaged in contract negotiations, it is crucial that the agency charged with overseeing collective bargaining and representation under the Railway Labor Act protect workers from employer interference and influence that unfortunately has become routine under the previous NMB. The confirmation of Linda Puchala is the beginning step in reforming the NMB.

“Her experience and vast commitment to workers’ rights and to the collective bargaining process will help to restore the integrity of this vital federal agency. For years, the NMB has operated under arcane and unreasonable rules that make it difficult for workers to organize and bargain contracts. We look forward to working with Ms. Puchala to ensure that the National Mediation Board adheres to its mission of protecting employees’ right to engage in free and fair collective bargaining in the aviation industry.”

For over 60 years, the Association of Flight Attendants has been serving as the voice for flight attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill.  More than 50,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines come together to form AFA-CWA, the world’s largest flight attendant union. AFA is part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afanet.org .