January 2024 HRE Update

Happy New Year from your Human Rights & Equity Committee!

Mission Statement:

The AFA Human Rights and Equity Committee is committed to providing the broadest possible representation of our members regardless of age, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion, differently abled, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. We honor and celebrate the shared humanity of the members in our care. We shall at all times endeavor to promote the principles of tolerance, fairness, equity, justice, respect and inclusion within our Union. It is only when we all band together and work together that we can rally against the walls of division to create a progressive culture that values social and economic justice for all working people.

The work of this Committee includes:

• The ongoing study of matters related to the strengthening of our Union through the promotion of and support for economic, racial, and social justice equity for all workers;
• Recommendations for participation by our MEC and LECs with minority, women’s, and LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual) community organizations and coalitions which aim to eliminate discrimination and racism;
• Recommendations for creating a culture of support within our Union for people to share their personal experiences in relation to age, color, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender, gender expression and political orientation so that we better understand each other and build our Union through our common struggles and goals, rather than allowing union busters to divide us by differences;
• Recommendations for educational materials and resources relevant to civil and human rights issues that affect our Members and communities;
• Recommendations on how to facilitate training around the issues of Human Rights and Equity; and
• Developing a productive working relationship with our employers to ensure they are committed to providing a safe and inclusive workplace for all Flight Attendants.

We are committed to supporting the local HRE Committees that have been created as well as assisting in the creation of a local HRE Committee at each Council. Our aim is to get everyone who wants to be a part of an HRE Committee involved, and by utilizing their individual skills, backgrounds, and passions, we can create a movement within our Union that is intersectional, reflecting the diversity of our workforce. 

We encourage Member participation through volunteering to start or support a local HRE Committee, providing us with your feedback and personal stories, attending future events and training, and spreading the word of this new Committee to fellow Union Members. We look forward to working on the issues of human rights and equity which are affecting our fellow Flight Attendants.

Important Things To Highlight in January 2024

January is National Blood Donor Month

The month of January is designated as National Blood Donor Month in the United States. Due to holiday celebrations, inclement weather, and cold and flu season, the winter months are often a time of reduced donations and an increased risk for blood shortages. National Blood Donor Month celebrates blood donors during this critical time and reminds people of the importance of donating blood.

If you are able to, please find a donation center or drive, or organize one of your own, and donate blood today!

January is National Slavery & Human Trafficking Prevention Month

We can take a stand against human trafficking by recommitting ourselves to end it on our planes. As Flight Attendants and aviation's first responders, we are uniquely positioned to identify human traffickers and assist their victims.

All over the world people will be wearing blue articles of clothing, January 11, in observance of the annual #WearBlueDay to encourage greater public awareness about the scourge of human trafficking.

Human trafficking is a billion dollar business, but Flight Attendants can be 100,000 Eyes in the Skies to recognize and report it. We can be the ones to make the difference.

Want to participate? Here's how:

- Post a photo of yourself and others on social media wearing blue with hashtags #WearBlueDay and #TacklingTrafficking when tweeting, tag @afa_cwa.

- Finish the statement #WeWearBlueBecause to share why you are participating.

- Download and print the AFA/U.S. Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign Guide to Recognize and Report Suspected Human Trafficking > https://hiddeninplanesight.org/wp-content/uploads/afa-cobranded-blue-lightning-pocket-guide-5.pdf 

Important Dates for January 2024

• Jan 1: Ellis Island Day
  • Ellis Island Day is observed every January 1 to celebrate an island that served as a gateway to America during the immigration wave of 1892 through 1954.
• Jan 11: Wear Blue Day
  • A day to wear blue to encourage greater public awareness about the scourge of human trafficking
• Jan 15: MLK Day
  • On November 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the King Holiday Bill into law, designating the third Monday in January a federal holiday in observance of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It took 15 years of fighting by civil rights activists for this to be approved as a federal holiday, and an additional 17 years to for it to be recognized in all 50 states! Learn more about this battle HERE
  • MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. See how best you can serve your community today!
• Jan 27: International Holocaust Remembrance Day
  • The United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 60/7 on 1 November 2005 to designate 27 January as the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust, the day upon which every year the world would mark and remember the Holocaust and its victims. 
  • Every year this is observed with ceremonies and activities at United Nations Headquarters in New York and at United Nations offices around the world. The theme this year is "Recognizing the Extraordinary Courage of Victims and Survivors of the Holocaust" Learn more about the theme and this year's remembrance HERE

Other Issues To Note

Blue Ribbons for Wear Blue Day & Human Trafficking Prevention Month

I have some ribbons ready to disseminate to crew in JFK base. MIA base ribbon should be coming from your local council leaders. 

Please reach out to me to collect ribbons if you do not see me on your roster. If you will be in London at any point in time this month, reach out to me and we will try to coordinate so that I can get some to you.

Conferences & Trainings

I will be attending the AFL-CIO 2024 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCE in Montgomery, AL with the AFA-CWA representing our union from January 12-14, 2024. 
I will also be speaking on a panel on January 12, 2024 entitled "An Injury To One: Why Attacks on LGBTQIA+ Workers Are an Attack on Unions."

I will include my report out on that event in my next newsletter.

The DHS CCHT HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION MONTH SYMPOSIUM will be taking place in Arlington, VA on January 25-26, 2024. 

If you are local to the DMV area with an interest in Human Trafficking Prevention and would like to attend, please reach out to me at [email protected] and let me know. 
Please note that if you attend, you will be required to write a 1 page report about the event and key takeaways to be sent to the AFA International Human Rights & Executive Committee.

Gender Neutral Bathrooms in Airports

Our Trans and Gender non-conforming Union Siblings deserve to be safe when they have to use the restroom in the airports while on duty.

We are aware that there are several states, and countries, that have anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation that makes it difficult for our crew to safely access such a basic necessity.

To this aim, we are asking you to take note of any gender neutral restrooms and family restrooms in the airports and terminals that we fly into and share it with me by sending an email to [email protected] with the following information:

• Airport
• Terminal
• Is there a gender neutral and/or family restroom?
• Is it accessible without asking for a key?
• Location (Arrivals, Departures, Pre-Security, Post Security)
• Any other information about the restroom
• Picture (If you able to take one and include it in the email, we would greatly appreciate it)

Pride At Work

Pride at Work is an important initiative that has a mission of seeking “full equality without restrictions or barriers for LGBTQIA+ individuals in our workplaces, unions, and communities, creating a Labor Movement that cherishes diversity, promotes inclusion, encourages openness, and ensures safety & dignity. We do this through education, alliances, and building solidarity across our large and diverse communities.”

They oppose all forms of bias and discrimination on the job, in our unions, and in the public square based on sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, race, veteran status, national or ethnic origin, immigration status, age, disability, HIV status, marital status, religion, or political views. They also seek to promote the ability of all working people to self-organize and act collectively to advance the power, needs, and interests of the working class in addition to the principles of justice, true democracy, and equality.

This is a very important initiative to be a part of, and we would love for you to sign up as a member. For more information about Pride At Work, head to prideatwork.org. Join today using THIS LINK.

Take These Important Surveys

Click the image to take the HRE survey

This survey allows you to tell us the issues that are important to you and helps give us some direction to focus on the causes that matter to our membership.

Click the image to take the Uniform Survey

This survey is about Uniform Gender Expression and seeks to identify how the crew feels about uniform choices, policies & guidelines at our airline and how it relates to their gender. 

Building HRE Awareness and Membership

We are continuing to build our committee and so if you are interest in joining, please come to our Monthly HRE Call Jan 8th at 3 PM E.S.T. 

Thanks for reading!
If you have any questions, concerns or ideas, don't hesitate to reach out to me.

Reminder:

You can find all our recent newsletters and information about the union and what we are working on at the Norse AFA website.
Visit the website today at norseafa.org

Sign up to receive important text alerts from your Norse AFA MEC by texting afanaa to 49484 or by clicking THIS LINK to register.

Cheers,

Jhenelle (she/her)
HRE & Communications Committee Chair