The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation has issued a legal notice to American Airlines flight attendants in response to reports that the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) has increased union dues by nearly 50 percent. According to the Foundation, some flight attendants have been terminated for not paying these higher dues, and others have received threats of termination if they do not pay thousands of dollars in union fees.
The full legal notice can be accessed at https://www.nrtw.org/AAunion/.
The Foundation’s notice outlines the rights of flight attendants, emphasizing that union membership is voluntary and that employees have the right to pay reduced fees instead of full union dues. The document encourages those who have been fired or threatened with termination over non-payment of dues to contact the Foundation for legal advice and assistance.
“The situation raises real concerns for employees who have had or could have their livelihoods upended solely for failing to bankroll APFA union bosses’ increasingly costly expenditures,” states the legal notice. “That is why workers faced with threats for not paying union dues frequently contact the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation to learn how to defend their rights and their livelihoods.”
The notice also explains how flight attendants can resign from the union and describes best practices for doing so. Since airline employees fall under the Railway Labor Act, they are entitled to pay only reduced representation fees rather than full membership dues. The information provided includes steps on how workers can seek a decertification election through a petition with the National Mediation Board.
The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation provides free legal aid to workers affected by forced-unionism practices. Its attorneys have previously represented airline staff in disputes involving alleged overreach by union officials.
“We would like all American Airlines flight attendants to be aware of their federal labor rights and to know that the Foundation is a resource at their disposal to question and challenge the often misleading claims of union bosses who would like to keep workers in the dark,” said Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation. “Forcing employees to pay tribute to a union boss or else be fired is just plain wrong, and the Foundation stands ready to assist those currently being targeted by dues-hungry APFA union bosses.”
