Sara Nelson (union leader)

Sara Nelson is the International President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO.^[1] A United Airlines flight attendant since 1996, she previously served as AFA's International Vice President for a term beginning January 1, 2011. Today, AFA-CWA represents nearly 42,000 flight attendants at 19 airlines.

Early career

Nelson has been a flight attendant with United Airlines from August, 1996 through the present. Soon after beginning her career, based in Boston for United Airlines, Nelson became an activist in the Boston AFA Local. She served there in a variety of roles including the elected position of Council Representative. In 2002 Nelson was tapped by AFA leaders at United Airlines to serve as Communications Chair.^[2]

In nearly 10 years as the union's chief spokesperson for United flight attendants, Nelson played a central role in the union's strategic response to every major event affecting the airline industry and, by extension, the members she helped to represent. In 2002, a year after the devastating impact of the September 11 Attacks rocked the airline industry, the SARS outbreak devastated international air travel. Airlines including United Airlines undertook cost cutting measures, and Nelson served as the primary spokesperson for the union during those extensive pre-bankruptcy reorganization negotiations.^[3] By December 2002 when United Airlines filed the largest corporate bankruptcy in U.S. history, Nelson was leading both the internal and external communications response to what would become one of the longest corporate bankruptcies when it finally ended over three years later. When United used the bankruptcy to terminate the flight attendants pension plan, Nelson announced AFA's intent to engage in a strike.^[4]

She later served simultaneously as the union's CHAOS strike chair during two rounds of labor negotiations, and provided communications support to other groups of AFA flight attendants including those at Northwest Airlines where she served as AFA spokesperson during bankruptcy negotiations and strike preparations.^[5] In 2011 Nelson left the communications post when she was elected International Vice President, the union's number two leadership position.

Organizing

Shortly after her election as International Vice President, Nelson undertook the leadership of AFA's internal and external organizing efforts. Under her leadership AFA prevailed in an representation election versus the International Association of Machinists for the bargaining rights covering the combined flight attendant workforce of United Airlines, Continental Airlines and Continental Micronesia following the merger of those carriers. Covering nearly 25,000 workers, that campaign culminated in one of the largest private sector union elections in decades. She later led the union's successful organizing drive to represent the combined unit of flight attendants from Mesaba Airlines, Colgan Air and Pinnacle Airlines, following the merger that created Endeavor Airlines.

Nelson also led AFA's No Knives Ever Again Campaign in 2013.^[6] The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reversed its decision to allow knives on passenger flights, after first announcing it would lift the knife ban. Their rationale was that national security would be advanced if TSA officers spent less time looking for knives and more time watching for explosives. AFA, with VP Sara Nelson leading the campaign, persuaded TSA executives that knives have no place on the aircraft.^[7][8][9] Featured on the Today Show, Nelson was able to effectively challenge the TSA lifting the ban on allowing knives on passenger airplanes.^[10] Morning Joe featured an interview with Nelson, citing "Growing Outrage" about the lifting of the ban.^[11] Featured on BBC, Nelson took the campaign international to add growing pressure.^[12] Forbes later interviewed Nelson, after the ban was reinstated.^[13] According to Nelson, the campaign succeeded because it worked as a coalition with congressional leaders, was backed by a legal team, arranged demonstrations at airports, and exerted "pressure from all sides."^[13]

International Office

Nelson was elected to the position of AFA International President in April 2014 and took office June 1, 2014.^[14] As International President, Nelson is the top officer of AFA, responsible for the overall leadership and direction of the union. She serves as chair of the union's annual convention, the AFA Board of Directors, as well as the union's Executive Board. She is the chief spokesperson for the union, and the primary liaison with other unions and labor organizations, airlines, industry groups and governmental agencies.

Taking office as International Vice President of AFA in 2011,^[15] Nelson was responsible for the union's organizing, communications and leadership development programs. Nelson also testified regularly before the United States Congress on issues of importance to flight attendants, like the Known Crew Member Program and the No Knives Campaign.

Other Positions

On August 12, 2014 Nelson was elected to the Aviation Steering Committee of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), the global federation of transportation unions from 148 countries, representing a combined membership of 4.5 million, at the ITF Congress in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Education

Nelson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from The Principia in 1995. She majored in English and Education.^[16]

References