Dues Information
Why This is Important
Operating expenses have continuously increased since our last dues increase in 2001. With the 2024 contract ratification, operating costs have substantially increased, impacting the services APFA provides our Members.
Winning our contract was a key victory, but ongoing funding is crucial for our Union to protect gains, advocate for Workers, and prepare for future challenges.
Protecting and advancing Workers’ rights is an ongoing fight that requires our support to keep APFA at the forefront; a dues increase will better equip us to defend Members and provide essential legal and grievance assistance.
Additional funds are essential to sustain critical services like grievance support and legal assistance, uphold contract implementation, and strengthen organizing efforts to protect our rights long-term.
Wages Compared to Dues Amounts
The chart below compares top Flight Attendant pay to the current $41 monthly Union dues. Even though our pay has increased over the years, Union dues haven’t changed. That has made it more challenging to keep enough APFA Representatives on the job.
How APFA Representative Pay Works
When a Representative misses a trip to do Union work, they're paid what they would’ve earned on that trip.
Where Dues Go
Dues Dollar Breakdown (as of Dec 2024)
APFA Representatives: Who They Are
9 National Departments
4 National Officers
4 National Committees
10 Base Presidents
10 Base Vice Presidents
7 Regional Representatives
5 Ad-Hoc Members to the Executive Committee
11 Headquarter Departments
200+ Representatives/Stewards
16 Non-Flight Attendant Staff Employees
Countless Volunteers
APFA Bases
BOS, CLT, DCA, DFW, LAX, LGA, MIA, ORD, PHL, PHX
Locally, APFA maintains representation in all ten bases. This includes your Base President, Vice President, and Base Council Representatives (BCRs). They are available to assist you with day-to-day operations.
- Representation for meetings with management
- Attendance
- Performance
- Investigations: Human Resources, Ethics Point, Drug/Alcohol, Reasonable Suspicion, Social Media, Corporate Security, Travel Allegations
- Available to assist Members by phone/email/text
- Base communications: base briefs, townhalls
- New member base orientation and off probation meeting
- File Notices of Dispute (grievances)
- Staffing/Bid Sheets Analysis
Base Headcounts as of Dec 2024
APFA National
All APFA representatives, apart from the headquarters staff employees, are line-qualified Flight Attendants. While the voting Board of Directors, comprised of the Base Presidents, is the primary decision-making body, all Representatives work together to ensure Members’ needs are met.
APFA Headquarters is in Euless, Texas, and houses the offices of the National Officers, the National Departments, National Committees, and support staff. APFA National is responsible for assisting our members with issues that directly affect you.
National Departments
- Contract & Scheduling: Representatives via phone and live messaging, new Member program, contract training, contract enforcement.
- Communications: Representatives, Hotline/Base Brief Distribution, press releases, social media, town halls, news and media correspondence.
- Hotel: Representatives, hotel site visits, enforcing hotel and transportation CBA language, advocate for hotel and transportation accommodation issues.
- Safety & Security: Representatives, APFA Safety & Security hotline, Go-team, cabin LOSA, cabin air quality, cabin ASAP, monitor the APFA Notification System to provide support during critical incidents, training support, and company initiative creation and implementation.
- EAP/Professional Standards: Representatives, peer support, drug and alcohol support, training, CIRT.
- Health: Representatives, assistance with medical leaves, FMLA, maternity, company benefits, APFA supplemental benefits.
- Injury On Duty (IOD): Representatives, tracking of fume events, Worker’s compensation denial guidance, IOD compensation (salary continuance) assistance.
- Retirement: Representatives, retirement planning, Medicare, pensions, retiree benefits.
- Government Affairs: Representatives, lobbying, legislative affairs, PAC
- Archives: Historian, maintain and administer the history of APFA.
National Committees
- Negotiating Committee: Made up of 6 Flight Attendant Negotiators. 2-membership elected, 2-Board appointed, 2-President appointed. Responsible for negotiating the CBA.
- Ballot Committee: Conducts and manages balloting for base and national elections, tentative agreements, strike votes, and constitutional referenda.
- Budget Committee: In collaboration with the National Treasurer, sets the annual budget for bases and national departments and provides financial guidance to the Board of Directors.
- Executive Committee: Made up of 5 Ad-hoc Members and the 4 National Officers, this committee is authorized to act on behalf of and for the BOD. It can also interpret the Constitution subject to the approval of the BOD.
- Human Rights Committee: Instill and ensure compliance with internal DE&I measures, hold management accountable to DE&I standards, and support Member-led causes and initiatives.
Headquarters Maintenance
- Fixed Cost: Building maintenance and repairs, utilities, taxes, office supplies, printing, postage.
- APFA Technology: IT, data, hardware, software, and website development.
National Officers
- President: Oversees Negotiations, letters of agreement, national departments, CAT Team, all BOD and EC Meetings, town halls, and legislative and political initiatives.
- Vice President: Oversees SBA (grievance) department and 7 Regional Representatives, presidential grievances, termination grievances, CBA enforcement, and arbitrations.
- Secretary: Oversees Ballot Committee and voting and elections, meetings and events, education and training, Article VII administration, town halls, Member organizing, project management, and website development.
- Treasurer: Oversees financials, assets, office operations, accounting, dues, Membership, IT, data, and Budget Committee.
Special Funds
Special Funds are savings funds set aside for certain Union activities that can be rolled over year-to-year. This allows APFA to use funds from prior years for unexpected costs.
- Arbitration Fund: costs related to the preparation, research, and other expenses for arbitrations, including legal and professional fees.
- Education & Training Fund: costs related to Member and Representative trainings.
- Litigation Fund: costs related to litigation activity for known lawsuits.
- Meetings & Events Fund: costs related to Board of Directors meetings, Executive Committee meetings, and other special events.
- Voting & Elections Fund: all costs related to the administration of elections and any Membership votes.
APFA Staff
- Legal Department: Two attorneys and a legal assistant manage outside counsel, litigation, SBA grievances, and staff Union disputes. APFA Legal Council is there to represent our Union and defend our collective rights.
- Professionals: IT, Data, Web and Mobile Content.
- Clerical Support Staff: Accounting, Administrative, Dues, Membership and Headquarters Operations.
Negotiations & Negotiations Related Fund (NNRF)
- Negotiating Committee
- Professional attorney and Economist fees
- Training
- Picket and strike activity
- Swag (e.g., pins, t-shirts, bag tags, banners, and picket signs)
- Booklets (e.g., Strike Authorization Vote, Strike Handbook, TA Book)
- Call Center
- Social Media, videography, testimonials
- Technology (transparent negotiations online, online voting, website calculators, and other web resources)
- Contract Action Team (CAT) support in terminals
- Virtual town halls
- In-person base visits
- Professional Membership surveys
- Lodging, transportation, and meeting space
Dues & APFA Expenses
How APFA Representatives are Paid
Per Section 5.C of the APFA Policy Manual, APFA Representatives are paid their contractual hourly rate (including premiums) for the value of any sequences from which they are removed to conduct Union business. In no case can a Representative be paid more than 115 hours from APFA. As a significant cost savings measure, Representatives are often removed at five (5) hours per day (excluding premiums) with a “PA” removal code.
2024 CBA Impact on the APFA Budget
The 2024 CBA was a significant accomplishment for APFA and the airline industry. With the increase in pay to Members comes an increase in the cost of representation. This increase in cost impacts Union resources for 27,000+ Flight Attendants, including:
- Shorter weekday hours and reduced weekend coverage for Contract and Scheduling Department Representatives
- Fewer Health department representatives
- Fewer Representatives available at base and headquarters
- Longer response times to emails, voicemails, and text messages
- Fewer base Representatives available for meetings with management
Base Representation Costs
Our bases may differ in culture, size, and cost, but the need for Member services is the same everywhere. For context, below is the average monthly cost to run minimum services in bases of various size. Cost is impacted by the number of Members in each base.
| Cost of Base Representation (As of Dec 2024) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Before 2024 CBA | After 2024 CBA | Cost Increase | Membership Base Count |
|
DFW $73,900 / mo |
DFW $88,680 / mo |
DFW + $14,780 / mo |
DFW 7,276 |
|
CLT $30,650 / mo |
CLT $36,780 / mo |
CLT + $6,130 / mo |
CLT 3,335 |
|
PHL $20,390 / mo |
PHL $24,468 / mo |
PHL + $4,078 / mo |
PHL 2,567 |
|
BOS $7,300 / mo |
BOS $8,760 / mo |
BOS + $1,460 / mo |
BOS 747 |
Reforming, Modernizing & Improving APFA
Reforming APFA
Reform Measures taken by APFA to ensure dues are spent effectively:
- Capped the hours a Union Representative can be paid
- National Officer relocation fee adjustment
- Meal reimbursement limitations
- Discontinued mileage and public transportation reimbursement
- Increased dues and non-dues money recovery
- Implemented additional limitations on National Officer apartments
- Increased required workday obligation for all APFA Representatives
- Added additional policy language to protect against future resigning or recalled National Officer exit agreements
- Reduced per diem of APFA Representatives
- When applicable, requires the use of APFA-provided transportation vs. other paid-for transportation options
Modernizing & Improving
To best serve Members, APFA must continue to evolve to meet the challenges and opportunities of today and tomorrow. Modernization is more than just updating our tools and processes; it’s about adapting our approach to remain strong, relevant, effective, and responsive. These modernization efforts ensure our Union is fit for the future without losing sight of the values of solidarity and equality that have always defined us.
APFA Modernization Initiatives
- Transparent negotiations
- Contract Action Team (CAT) mobilization
- EAP program and team expansion
- IT modernization
- APFA headquarters building modernization
- Upgraded phone system
- Virtual town halls
- Enhanced interactive New Member Program
- Labor Notes participation
- New APFA pins, T-shirts, and other swag
- Instituted in-house counsel
- Data department expansion
- Created a payment arrangement program
- Member access to Member records online (My Account)
APFA Dues Compared to Other Airline Unions
How does our current $41 per month compare to other airline Unions?
Most Unions have dues set by their board or some governing body. Many dues structures are tied to a percentage or contractual hourly rate.
At APFA, the Membership decides.
Glossary of Terms
Hotlines
7.02.26 – Treasurer’s Update: Our 2026 LM-2 Has Been Filed and Posted
The LM-2 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, was filed with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on June 30, 2026, and is now available in the Members-Only section of APFA.org. The LM-2 is the annual financial report every labor union of our size files with the DOL
7.01.26 – August 2026 Bidding Timelines
View the August bidding timeline including CQ, PBS Bidding, TTS, ETB, Vacation, and more
6.30.26 – APFA PHX Base Brief – Phoenix Employee Parking Program Update #6
Phoenix Employee Parking Program Update #6 Tuesday, June 30, 2026 Our second group of Premium Parking Blackout Dates begins Wednesday, July 1, and continues through Monday, July 6, 2026. During…
6.30.26 – APFA MIA Base Brief – June 2026 Hot Topics
Tuesday, June 30, 2026 In Solidarity, Nick & Alba
6.28.26 – APFA DFW Base Brief – July 2026 TTS Update
July 2026 TTS Update Sunday, June 28, 2026 Dear DFW Flight Attendants, Following extensive discussions, APFA and American Airlines have reached a Letter of Agreement (LOA) addressing the July 2026…
6.25.26 – APFA BOS Base Brief – MA Paid Family & Medical Leave Updates
Thursday, June 25, 2026 Boston Flight Attendants, Coming into our term as Base Leadership, one of the concerns we identified early on as needing our advocacy was the Massachusetts Paid…
6.23.26 – CMAP Opt-In Now Available
The Transportation Security Administration’s new Crewmember Access Point (CMAP) program continues its phased rollout as the eventual replacement for the Known Crewmember (KCM) program. Flight Attendants who wish to participate may now voluntarily opt in
6.22.26 – APFA LAX Base Brief – LAX Base Vice President Newsletter: July 2026
Monday, June 22, 2026 Solidarity Summer is in Full Effect Now more than ever, we must stand together, support one another, and remain committed to our Union. Protecting our hard-fought…
The LM-2 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, was filed with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on June 30, 2026, and is now available in the Members-Only section of APFA.org. The LM-2 is the annual financial report every labor union of our size files with the DOL
View the August bidding timeline including CQ, PBS Bidding, TTS, ETB, Vacation, and more
Phoenix Employee Parking Program Update #6 Tuesday, June 30, 2026 Our second group of Premium Parking Blackout Dates begins Wednesday, July 1, and continues through Monday, July 6, 2026. During this period, parking in Airport…
APFA Headquarters
1004 West Euless Boulevard
Euless, Texas 76040
M-F: 9:00AM - 5:00PM (CT)
Phone: (817) 540-0108
Contract & Scheduling Desk
M-Th: 9:00AM - 5:00PM (CT)
Phone: (817) 540-0108
Live Chat Messaging
Fridays: 9:00AM - 5:00PM (CT)
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