FORT WORTH— Two American Airlines (AA) flight attendants were dismissed earlier this year after failing to settle outstanding union dues owed to the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA). The dismissals are part of APFA’s ongoing campaign to recover over a million dollars in unpaid fees from members.
The union, which represents tens of thousands of American Airlines cabin crew, enforces mandatory membership and dues under its agreement with the carrier. Failure to pay can lead to termination — a rule that recently cost two employees their jobs.
American Airlines Fires Two Attendants
The APFA, headquartered in Euless near Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), faced a severe financial hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. As flight schedules shrank and members went on leave, union dues fell behind.
By 2022, the APFA was attempting to recover nearly $1.2 million in unpaid dues from its members, reported by PYOK.
In the past three years, approximately $362,000 of the debt has been cleared, while another $369,000 is being repaid through installment plans.
About 600 flight attendants have committed to repayment arrangements totaling more than $500,000. However, 65 of those payment plans have since defaulted.
Two members who refused or failed to make payments were expelled from the union earlier this year. Under the existing union shop agreement, the APFA is required to inform American Airlines management when a member loses their union status — triggering an automatic dismissal from the company.
Mounting Dues and a Growing Challenge
Some flight attendants had accumulated more than $10,000 each in dues arrears, highlighting how individual cases can quickly spiral. Despite recent progress in collecting overdue payments, the total number of attendants falling into arrears continues to grow.
This increase doesn’t necessarily suggest intentional non-payment. Many cabin crew members have taken extended leaves or flown reduced hours, leaving insufficient earnings for automatic deductions of union dues from their paychecks.
Running an organization the size of APFA requires significant funding. Each quarter, the union expects to collect over $7 million in dues. When that income is disrupted, the impact is immediate — budget shortfalls threaten core operations such as member representation and legal support.
Compulsory Union Membership
The case underscores the unique nature of labor relations at American Airlines (AA). Under the federal Railway Labor Act, flight attendants must belong to a union to remain employed, meaning local “Right to Work” laws do not apply.
This mandatory structure exists at a few major U.S. airlines, including United Airlines (UA), but remains uncommon in global aviation.
While most crew members comply without issue, disputes can arise when individual beliefs clash with union actions — a challenge the industry has seen before.
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