AFA Council 85

AFA Council 85 Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from AFA Council 85, Labor Union, Trenton, NJ.

05/02/2026

To Our AFA Siblings at Spirit Airlines,

Today’s news is one that no worker, no crew member, and no union family should ever have to face. As we learn of the closure of operations at Spirit Airlines, we stand with you, not just in words, but in true solidarity.

To every Flight Attendant, every crew member, and every worker impacted: you are not alone. Across our union, across every council, and across every base, we feel this with you. The pain, the uncertainty, the anger, and the heartbreak, those emotions are shared by all of us who understand what this job means and what this family represents.

You built something that mattered. You showed up, day in and day out, for passengers, for each other, and for this industry. And no decision, no closure, and no headline can take away the dignity, professionalism, and strength you carried in that uniform.

In moments like this, our union proves what it truly is, not just an organization, but a family. We will continue to stand beside you as you navigate what comes next. Whether that is support in transitioning, finding new opportunities, or simply having someone to lean on, you have that in us.

Please lean on your AFA family. Lean on each other. And know that your resilience, your unity, and your spirit will carry forward beyond this moment.

From all of us in Council 85, we send you strength, love, and unwavering solidarity.

We are with you, today and always.

In Solidarity,

MJ Rice, LEC President
Local Executive Council 85
Association of Flight Attendants
Trenton-Philadelphia

03/31/2026

When I originally wrote and produced this song, my goal was to create something uplifting—an anthem for starting the day with intention and confidence. I wanted a track you could play in the morning, at the gym, or on a drive—something that reminds you, simply and powerfully, “I am enough.”

The song was completed at the beginning of March—during Women’s History Month—which made its message even more meaningful. There are so many women in my life who move with strength, grace, and purpose, often without the recognition they truly deserve. They don’t just show up—they shape spaces, uplift others, and carry more than most people see.

So as Women’s History Month comes to a close, I wanted to dedicate this to the Women of 85. Not just for this month, but for every day moving forward: you are enough, you are powerful, and you are the backbone of the world.

MJ Rice

03/18/2026

✨ Honoring the Women of 85 ✨

Today and every day, we celebrate the incredible women of Council 85 — the strength, resilience, and heart that keep our skies moving and our union strong.

From mentorship and leadership to compassion and courage, you uplift not only each other, but our entire workgroup. Your impact goes far beyond the cabin — it’s felt in every connection, every act of support, and every voice that speaks up for what’s right.

We see you. We appreciate you. We honor you.

Here’s to the Women of 85 — powerful, inspiring, and unstoppable. 💙

MJ Rice
Quentin Kenny

03/06/2026

(Long Post)

Dear Council 85 Members,

Today I woke up with a feeling that’s hard to describe. It was one of those mornings where your mind feels full, but the words don’t quite come. As I sat with that feeling, I started thinking about the weight that so many of us are carrying right now — the pressures of the world, the overall climate of life around us, the political climate, and even the climate within our jobs and the airline that we safely and professionally serve every day.

It’s a lot.

And if I’m being honest with you, for a moment it left me at a loss for words.

But in times like these — when things feel uncertain and the noise around us grows louder — those are the moments when we should lean on each other even more. Those are the moments when unity matters most. As a union family, our strength has never come from one person alone. It has always come from the collective will of all of us standing together.

I also want to remind everyone that none of you are alone. If you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or simply need someone to talk to, our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) representatives are always standing by to support our members.

Council 85 EAP Representatives:
[email protected]

EAP exists for moments exactly like these. Whether it’s work stress, personal challenges, or simply needing a confidential ear, please know that support is available.

While many of us feel the weight of the larger world around us, I also want you to know that there are many union officers, representatives, and committee members working every single day to make things better for our workgroup. Much of that work happens quietly, behind the scenes — in meetings, in grievances, in negotiations, and in holding the company accountable when things are not right.

While we continue to fight for the bigger issues that impact our fair treatment, contracts, and livelihoods, there are representatives doing the daily work of protecting and enforcing what we already have.

And that work matters.

Over the last few years, together as a union, we have achieved real wins for Flight Attendants. Some of those include:

• Stopping the implementation of a harmful new Dependability System in 2023
• Ensuring all Flight Attendants stranded during the Buffalo 10 incident were compensated
• Cleaning up and processing backlogged grievances from the previous two years
• Securing a $400 initial uniform allowance for TTN Flight Attendants
• Getting PHL17 Flight Attendants an additional 4 hours of pay for extended crew hotel waits
• Recovering 86 hours of pay related to the PHL TAC hotel issue on April 1
• Successfully settling 15 reinstatement cases
• Settling over 430 Non-Notification cases
• Getting the company to settle 12+ hour grievance processing cases for over 500 Flight Attendants
• Securing 206 additional hours of pay for TAC issues, beyond the initial PHL payments
• Forcing revisions to the RGS exam LOA
• Ensuring Class 2305 Flight Attendants had sick calls cleared in training when they were placed on reserve
• Getting the company to pay out couch sit violations more than six times per month, in writing through an LOA
• Cleaning up and organizing all Letters of Agreement (LOAs) and grievance tracking systems
• Scheduling and advancing multiple arbitrations
• Filing dispute letters and forcing the company into impact bargaining discussions
• Ensuring all Flight Attendants were paid for FlyTab SIM card installations
• Achieving a 99.6% strike authorization vote from our membership
• Securing independent health insurance coverage for San Juan Flight Attendants through an LOA
• Preventing the company from forcing reinstated Flight Attendants back through Initial Training after 90 days
• Preventing reinstated Flight Attendants from being reassigned to different bases and ensuring they returned to their original bases
• Winning 2 arbitrations
• Winning 7 Flight Attendant jobs back in 2024
• Winning 25 Flight Attendant jobs back in 2025
• Securing 2.5 hours of credit (instead of 1.5) for the 2025 CBTs required before RGS
• Creating the AFA Frontier Mobile App to improve communication and access to resources
• Facilitating mental health support through our EAP critical incident debrief program, including our first full crew debrief for the DEN crew incident
• Securing uniform back pay for TTN/PHL Flight Attendants
• Signing an LOA providing $400 initial uniform funding for TTN new hires

These victories don’t happen overnight, and they don’t happen alone. They happen because members stay engaged, representatives stay committed, and our union continues to push forward — even when the road isn’t easy.

And that brings me back to where I started.

My oath has not changed. It never will.

My commitment is, and will always be, to serve the membership of Council 85. I represent you with pride, and I take that responsibility seriously every single day. Moments like the ones we are living through right now only strengthen my resolve to continue doing this work.

Sometimes the journey feels like running on a track. When you’re in the middle of a workout, you pass the finish line more than once before the race is truly over. You circle back again and again, pushing through each lap.

That doesn’t mean the race is finished — it means you’re building the endurance needed to cross the line when it truly counts.

Right now, we are only on lap one.

And like any race worth running, it will require patience, resilience, and the will to keep going. But I believe in this membership. I believe in our collective strength. And I believe that if we continue to move together, in unity, we will get to where we need to be.

Thank you for the work you do every day. Thank you for your dedication to this profession. And thank you for trusting me to represent you.

My commitment still stands: I will continue to put forward every ounce of energy I have to advocate for what is right, and for what each of you deserves.

In solidarity,

MJ Rice
LEC President
Council 85

01/03/2026

Second Update: SJU Airspace Closure & Commuter Protections

12/09/2025

🚨 CODE RED ALERT! 🚨
ATL ROADSHOW — WE ARE SHOWING UP UNITED & UNMISTAKABLE! 🔥❤️

If you are attending the ATL Roadshow, this is your official heads-up:

🎯 WEAR YOUR RED.
🎯 WEAR YOUR AFA PIN.
🎯 WEAR YOUR AFA SHIRT.

There is a dress code requiring a collared shirt — cool.
Wear a RED collared shirt OR throw your red AFA shirt right over it.
Either way, we’re painting that room AFA RED from wall to wall. ❤️🔥

And let’s be VERY clear —
the company did NOT show up to negotiations prepared.
They need to see, feel, and hear our unity.
And when you’re there, ASK THEM WHY they came to the table unprepared.
Ask them why, after all we’ve given, they’re still not ready to bargain seriously.

This is not the day to blend in.
This is the day to show the company EXACTLY who we are:
Visible. United. Loud. And DONE with the disrespect.

So pull out that red, steam it, iron it, bless it — whatever you gotta do.
Just make sure when they look out into that room, all they see is a SEA OF AFA RED. ❤️

Let’s show up, show out, and make it unforgettable.
CODE RED. ALL IN. LET’S GO AFA! ✊🔥

This past week, I joined the picket line with the Sheraton hotel workers in Philadelphia who were on strike.Their fight ...
10/10/2025

This past week, I joined the picket line with the Sheraton hotel workers in Philadelphia who were on strike.

Their fight was one to watch — not just because of what they were standing for, but because of how they stood together. The unity, the strength, and the determination they showed reminded me that when workers come together with one voice, real change becomes possible.

From HNL to LAS, DEN to MCO, ORD to TTN and PHL — one truth remains: if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. I’ve spent years walking through airports, staying in hotels, eating in restaurants, and meeting people from every walk of life — flight attendants, housekeepers, cooks, ramp workers, servers, and gate agents. And through all those conversations and experiences, one thing has always been clear: everyone just wants to live comfortably, be treated fairly, and earn a wage that supports everyday life.

People often say that we’re divided, but I’ve seen the opposite. On the picket lines, in the crew rooms, in the terminals, I’ve seen people of all backgrounds come together with a shared purpose — respect, dignity, and fairness.

So as we move into the coming months, I pray that we, as a Union and as a community, come out in full force to stand up against a company that continues to show us they don’t value the people who make their operation possible.

Because no matter the uniform, no matter the job title, respect and dignity are not privileges — they are rights.
And when we stand together, we show the world that our unity is stronger than their divide.

MJ Rice LEC President
Local Executive Council 85
Association of Flight Attendants
Trenton-Philadelphia | San Juan

09/16/2025

📢 Newsletter Delivery Audit

We’ve met with our I.T. team and are working to fix an issue where some members aren’t receiving newsletters, even after subscribing. To get this resolved, we’re conducting an internal audit.

👉 If you are signed up but have not received a newsletter, please email the following information to [email protected]:
• The email address you subscribed with
• Your first and last name
• Your employee number

Thank you for helping us make sure everyone stays connected!

09/11/2025

Today we pause to honor and remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001. We hold in our hearts the families, friends, and loved ones of the nearly 3,000 victims whose lives were cut short.

We also remember with deep reverence the brave flight attendants, pilots, and crew members who were the very first responders that day. With courage and professionalism, they did everything in their power to protect their passengers in the face of unimaginable circumstances. Their sacrifice stands as a reminder of the strength and resilience within our profession.

Aviation itself was forever changed on that day. Security, training, and the very way we look at our work in the skies took on new meaning. The events of 9/11 reshaped our industry, but they also bound us together in solidarity, determination, and vigilance.

To the heroes in the skies and on the ground, and to every life lost that day—we will never forget.

- MJ Rice

Address

Trenton, NJ
08608-08611, 08618-08620, 08625, 08628, 08629, 08638

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