As provided for in our AFA Constitution and Bylaws, an Apprentice Member of the Union is a Flight Attendant who possesses all of the requirements for active membership except for the first four full calendar months of service and whose application for Membership has been approved consistent with Article II of the Constitution.
What this means is that for the four (4) month period following the day of graduation (measured as 120 days), there is no obligation to pay Union dues. However, once the initial four (4) month period passes, the Flight Attendant becomes an Active Member and the dues obligation starts.
For example, if graduation is February 6, 2023, the Apprenticeship period ends on June 6, 2023 at which time the dues obligation begins and, of importance, the Member becomes eligible to vote. Your Union dues obligation begins in July will be collected from your mid-August paycheck. Keep in mind, we are always paid in arrears. We receive pay for the hours we work in July during the month of August through the advance paycheck on the 1st and the mid-month “true-up” paycheck, usually the 16th of each month.