Sara Nelson2

Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO
Sara Nelson took office as the International President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO on June 1, 2014, having served International Vice President from January, 2011 through May, 2014. Sara became a United Airlines Flight Attendant in 1996 and has been a union activist since nearly the beginning of her flying career.

Much of Sara’s union activism has been focused on mobilization, communications and strong union contracts. Early in her union career, Sara served in a variety of positions including CHAOS™ Strike Co-Coordinator, and Local Council Vice President, Local CHAOS Strike Coordinator and Council Rep. (United Airlines, Boston). In those roles she learned first hand how to build the union’s power through collective action.

Before her election to international office, Sara spent over eight years directing communications and PR efforts for the union's United Airlines unit. In that role she represented the union in all the major news media in the U.S., including news coverage on all the major networks, CNN, PBS, NPR, as well as the BBC and BBC radio and various overseas news outlets, major newspapers and wire service reports both here and abroad. She also was responsible for internal member communications and mobilization, experience which she has found invaluable for her role as an international officer in directing leadership development, mobilization and organizing of Flight Attendants throughout the industry.
Sara also has extensive government relations experience having testified in Congressional hearings, written congressional testimony, coordinated congressional press conferences, and personally lobbied members of Congress. She also designed and conducted training programs on a wide range of topics for union members.

Whether it's at the bargaining table, in organizing, in communications, or on the picket line, Sara is passionate about her union and what it can mean to the Flight Attendant profession. She believes that building a strong Flight Attendant union is important for workers’ rights around the globe, as the message of workers’ rights and collective bargaining travels throughout the world with every member of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA.