Continental Negotiation Information

We continue to receive questions about the upcoming voting process in the event the company makes another offer for you to consider.  In September 2004 the IAM held a constitutional convention in Cincinnati and electronic voting (via the Internet or by telephonic means) was reviewed, debated and eventually voted down for reasons of security and lack of paper trail. Current technologies simply do not address these concerns. Presently, “Ballot by mail” and “Walk-in Balloting” are considered to be the best and most secure methods of voting.

Victoria Collier, editor of http://www.votescam.com, wrote “An MIT/Cal Tech study done in 2001 shows that manually counted paper ballots are the most accurate system out of the 5 systems used in the last 4 presidential elections. They are totally verifiable, and first-world nations across the globe still use them, including Canada which counted their last presidential election in four hours.” www.truthout.org/docs_03/102503C.shtml 

Please keep the following facts in mind:

When asking for a strike vote, our constitution requires a walk-in vote and explanation of the offer

Historically, walk-in balloting has seen greater participation by our members

If we had a secure electronic balloting system, personal identification numbers (PIN) would have to be mailed, requiring flight attendants to update their current mailing address with the Union and encountering the same problems as with the last mail in ballot.

Any offer presented to the union for ratification will be available to our membership, mailed to your homes, with ample time for review, prior to any balloting.

Discussions in the crew room and messages received to our website uncovered a huge amount of misinformation (or misrepresentation) about the contents of the last company offer.  Having the chance to receive, first hand, from the Negotiations Committee an explanation and answers to your questions can unquestionably be the most thorough and democratic method.

There are a few people that have an agenda which doesn’t include our membership’s best interest.  They would rather distort and lie about the provisions of the agreement to disenfranchise and influence your vote for their own personal gains.  Remember those are the same people that stole your identity,

Contract issues should have our complete focus. Everything else is a distraction. Flight attendants should be speaking with one voice. Remember, the company is seeking concessions, not the union.  What should we be talking to each other about?  SOLIDARITY!

Your union representatives will remain available in crew rooms to answer your questions and concerns.