Our Union structure and policy are often recognized as one of the most democratic in the labor movement, because it begins with you. Each of us is a part of a Local Council as determined by where you are based. Every three years our Union holds Local Council elections, where you elect your Local representatives. This includes a President, Vice-President and Secretary, as well as Council Representatives, the number of which are determined by the size of your Local Council.
Local Council President’s take direction from the Members of their Local Council. They represent your interests at the Local level and come together alongside Presidents from other councils to represent our Flight Attendant population as a whole.
Currently we have 13 Local Council Presidents, representing 20 bases, including the Satellite bases. Each of these 13 Local Council Presidents come together to make up what is called the United Master Executive Council (MEC). This is the governing body of United AFA who collectively make decisions on policy and collectively establish the Union’s position on a wide-range of issues.
Every three years the United MEC elect an MEC President, Vice-President and Secretary-Treasurer, along with the MEC Committee Chairpersons, Vice-Chairpersons and Members. Everyone at the MEC Level acts at the direction of the United MEC collective and is responsible for ensuring all of their actions reflect the position of the United MEC. All the MEC Officer positions and most of the Committee positions are up for election at the Spring Regular MEC Meeting in April for a 3-year term which begins July 1, 2023. Members elect and direct your Local Council President, who in turn, along with the other Presidents, elect and direct the MEC Officers and Committees.
You, the Member holding the power have four responsibilities:
Collectively, we have the power to drive change. We all make a difference through our participation; by attending Local Council meetings, Local events and activities and ultimately through our collective support of local initiatives and our Local Council Officers. Of greater significance, we all have the opportunity to serve in an elected capacity.
There is no “the Union” or “the AFA.” We are all AFA and because of our structure, have an enormous opportunity to drive change, but only if we participate in the process.