WHEREAS, airline workers have long been at the forefront of bringing full equality to the workplace for LGBT workers;

WHEREAS, while many airlines have been praised by the LGBT community for recognizing and providing equality for their employees – those rights, benefits and recognition have only come after long struggles and success was only often achieved through the collective bargaining process;

WHEREAS, until federal laws are dramatically changed the only equal rights many LGBT Americans have that are legally enforceable are through a collective bargaining agreement;

WHEREAS, many airlines have become major financial contributors to LGBT organizations, among them American Airlines;

WHEREAS, approximately 10,000 American Airlines passenger service agents have been recently struggling to organize and join the Communications Workers of America (CWA);

WHEREAS, American Airlines management has launched an unprecedented effort to prevent those passenger service agents from simply exercising their right to vote on whether or not to join a union;

WHEREAS, American Airlines management has been rebuked by the Department of Justice, the National Mediation Board, Senate Democratic leadership and over 150 Congressmembers for their union busting behavior and by denying their employees the right to have a vote on their future;

WHEREAS, American Airlines management is engaged in this effort in order to use the bankruptcy process they are engaged in to force draconian working conditions, wage rates and benefit cuts on the workers while they do not have legal representation through a union; and,

WHEREAS, by engaging in this behavior American Airlines management is preventing the LGBT employees among those approximately 10,000 passenger service agents their opportunity for full legal equality and benefits for their families.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Pride at Work calls on American Airlines management to drop their current federal lawsuit and to let the workers have their legal right to vote on legal representation for their future move forward;

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Pride at Work calls on American Airlines to stop calling themselves as supporters of pro-LGBT equality and marketing as such to the LGBT community as long as they continue to engage in these union busting tactics and silencing workers fundamental rights to hold a vote on their future;

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Pride at Work calls on all LGBT organizations involved in the fight for full equality, and who receive financial support from American Airlines, join us in calling on American Airlines management to stop denying their employees their fundamental and legal right to vote on union representation and to publically refuse contributions from American Airlines until they allow this legal election to move forward; and,

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Pride at Work and its members will stand with American Airlines passenger service agents in their struggle and work at their side to gain legal representation and full equality through a legally enforceable collective bargaining agreement.