Sara Nelson (union Leader)

Sara Nelson (born March 11, 1973) is an American union leader who serves as the international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL–CIO. A United Airlines flight attendant since 1996, she previously served as AFA's international vice president for a term beginning January 1, 2011. AFA-CWA represents nearly 50,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines.

Early life and education

Nelson was born and raised in Corvallis, Oregon. Raised in the Church of Christ, Scientist, Nelson's mother worked as a music teacher and her father worked in the lumber industry. After graduating from Corvallis High School, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Principia College in 1995, where she majored in English and education.

Career

Nelson initially intended to pursue acting, but instead worked four jobs to pay off her student debt, including as a substitute teacher, waitress, linen salesperson, and temp at an insurance agency.

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

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 major events affecting the airline industry. 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. 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.

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. 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. 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. Featured on the ''Today Show'', Nelson was able to effectively challenge the TSA lifting the ban on allowing knives on passenger airplanes. ''Morning Joe'' featured an interview with Nelson, citing "Growing Outrage" about the lifting of the ban. Featured on BBC
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