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APFA Hotline Update - Sign The Petition and Rally On Friday!
This is Leslie Mayo, National Communications Coordinator, with an APFA Hotline Update for Tuesday, May 8, 2012.
No Confidence Petition:
We have received an overwhelming response to the online petition at apfa.org of "No Confidence" in management's business plan. If you haven't yet signed the petition, there's still time. Login to www.apfa.org then click on the link entitled Sign The Petition.
If you are having trouble logging in and are not in dues arrears, send an email to membership@apfa.org with "No Confidence" in the subject line. Include your full name, employee number, base and email address. After you have done that, follow up with an email to petition@apfa.org with the same information. Every flight attendant who wants their name on this petition will be included.
If you have already submitted an email or left a voice mail for the membership department, please do not resubmit. They have been bombarded with FA requests for access to the web site to sign the petition.
Join Us In Delivering The "No-Confidence Petition" to AMR Executives Friday Morning
If you plan to be in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area this Friday morning, May 11th, please join us as we march alongside the pilots and other non-management employees to deliver our "Petition of No Confidence" to AMR HDQ. We will meet at APFA beginning at 8:15 a.m. APFA has chartered a bus to transport our members back and forth to APA HQ as parking is limited at APA and along Trinity Blvd.
APA wants all participants in place no later than 9:30, so the last bus will leave APFA HQ for APA at 9:15 a.m. APFA HDQ is located at 1004 W. Euless Blvd. The rally is scheduled to conclude by 11:15.
JUST ANNOUNCED: Rally at NYC Bankruptcy Court This Friday Morning
APFA just received word that APA has planned a rally outside the NY Bankruptcy Court Friday, May 11th. All non-management employees are encouraged to attend. Flight Attendants should wear their uniforms and arrive at 9:30 a.m. The courthouse is located at
Negotiations:
During a conference with the court on Friday Judge Lane encouraged the parties to resume negotiations. Consequently, we will be meeting with American this week. We continue to believe that if progress is to be made, the Company's demand of $230 million in annual concessions will have to be reduced.
From the National Ballot Committee:
Willingness-to-Serve Notifications have been mailed to all members based at BOS, IOR and STL for the position of Vice Chairperson at those bases. Willingness-To-Serve Notifications must be received in the National Ballot Committee's Post Office Box by 10:00 am Central Time on June 6, 2012.
From the Scheduling Department:
Once again, weather is impacting the operation causing misconnects, illegalities and cancellations (MIC). Make sure you are familiar with MIC language by reviewing the On Duty Contract Guide. You can download a copy from apfa.org by clicking Current Contract > On Duty Contract Guide.
More from the Negotiating Committee:
We have received questions about implementation of the Company's term sheet should Judge Lane rule in its favor.
First and most importantly, APFA continues to vigorously pursue its case against American's motion to reject our CBA.
Judge Lane is scheduled to issue a decision on June 6. In the event he grants the Company's motion, management could implement all or parts of the Term Sheet immediately, or they could wait until the first day of the next full month which in this case would be July 1, or later.
If we end up working under the US Airways Bridge Term Sheet, wage increases, the early out and per diem, along with the other changes will occur as soon as practicable.
Preferential Bidding Chatter:
On the subject of Preferential bidding, understand that this new way of bidding will take a great deal of time to implement. First a vendor must be hired and a program developed that honors our contract and the many different aspects of our job. Because bidding is such a core part of our work life, both APFA and APA agree that our unions must be participants in the vendor selection process. Because of this, APFA has agreed to attend these meetings to ensure Flight Attendants play a key role in the development of a system that will be acceptable for our workgroups.
We are fortunate enough to have retired Managing Director of Crew Resources Roy Everett as a consultant for the flight attendants. Roy will also be involved in this process on behalf of APFA.
Capwiz
If you haven't already contacted your Senators and Representative via APFA's CapWiz regarding a potential AA/US Airways merger, please visit apfa.org and click on Government Affairs. Not only will this merger save 2,300 Flight Attendant jobs and thousands of groundworkers' jobs, but it will preserve the hubs and the communities that depend on them. And quite frankly, it makes good business sense.
Contact your legislators via APFA's CapWiz page and tell them to stand with us for a new American Airlines.
Thank you for calling the APFA Hotline.
This is Leslie Mayo with the APFA Hotline for Friday, May 4, 2012.
Open Letter to AMR Board of Directors in Wall Street Journal, Dallas Morning News and the Ft. Worth Star Telegram
This morning, APFA along with TWU and APA took out an ad in the Wall Street Journal, Dallas Morning News and Ft. Worth Star Telegram that contained an Open Letter to AMR’s Board. The letter addresses the lack of vision or viability in AMR’s reorganization plan as well as the three Union’s support of a merger with US Airways. A copy of the ad can be downloaded from the APFA website.
“No Confidence Petition” in AA Management’s Business Plan
Yesterday, APFA President Laura Glading emailed a letter to all flight attendants asking members to sign a petition declaring "No Confidence" in AA Management's Business Plan. If you haven't received the email please visit apfa.org and click on the Petition link.
March to AMR HDQ
The flight attendants and pilots will be marching from APA Headquarters to AMR on May 11, 2012, led by the two union presidents who will be hand delivering the tw o petitions of "No Confidence" signed by their respective workgroups to senior management. We will gather at APA Headquarters on Trinity Blvd in Dallas, Ft. Worth between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. in full uniform. At 9:30 we will hear speeches by APFA President Glading and APA President Bates. Then we will proceed on a course for AMR Headquarters, returning to APA by approximately 11:15 a.m. More details will be made available next week, but if you plan to be in Dallas on Friday morning, please com join us!
Support the Merge
APFA asks all members to engage in our legislative action - CapWiz online to urge your elected Congressional Reps to support a merger with US Airways. You have the choice of sending an email or making a phone call. Talking points accompany CapWiz so you can address your Representatives with confidence.
Definition of Senior Management Retirements = Consulting?
AA announced this week the departure of several "top-level" managers. Next week we anticipate some more announcements as they work their way down the food chain. This is part of AA's plan to appear to reduce management, however, it is very likely that many of these people are still stumbling around AMR Headquarters in a consulting capacity receiving a hefty paycheck.
Right to Union Representation
Last week, we mentioned that if you need to speak with management, it is important that you request a union rep to accompany you. If one isn’t available, the manager should be asked to wait until a representative arrives. This applies to any type of meeting between flight attendants and management.
Agents Try To Unionize – AMR Throws A Wrench
AMR is fighting the Customer Service Agents’ potential vote for union representation by filing a complaint in court to try to stop it. Judge Lane is expected to respond to the CWA’s request that AMR not be allowed to implement any changes in pay, benefits or working conditions as part of its bankruptcy cuts.
From the APFA Contract Department:
All Fas with Recurrent Training in May be aware that if you haven’t signed up for a class yet, do so ASAP. Most of the remaining vacancies are for the coming week. If you wait too long, you may find yourself unable to attend. The FAA actually prohibits AA from overbooking classes. If you aren’t able to schedule yourself in a class you will be required to either attend during your grace month, or losing your quals and unable to bid for June.
From the APFA Scheduling Department:
APFA’s Scheduling page http://www.apfa.org/content/category/25/103/143/ has been updated with some important information addressing RL or RP FAs with AVBL days being released. Click on the topic: "When can I be released from my AVBL days?" for details.
From the APFA Safety Department:
The FAA has increased Flight Attendant Manual Field Audits. These inspectors can ask to see your manual at the gate or inflight. As you know, all Fas are required to meet manual compliance when performing duties as a crewmember.
Flight Attendants can expect to encounter an FAA Inspector conducting audits either in flight or at the departure/arrival gate.
When encountering a safety inspector, please verify her/his credentials and request a business card. If one is not available, write down the inspector’s name and badge number. Please submit an AMR Event Report at the end of your sequence. If the inspector feels you are in violation of an updated manual, fill out a report with the Cabin ASAP Program. The most recent Bulletin is #3 and Revision is #83.
From APFA’s EAP Desk:
Living through the bankruptcy process isn’t easy but getting help can be. Since the company’s bankruptcy announcement we have seen an increase in sick calls and FA health problems on the job. Personal, financial and work-related stress can take a toll on both emotional well-being and physical health. The representatives who monitor APFA’s EAP desk are licensed mental health professionals as well as AA flight attendants. These reps are able to guide FAs in coping with stress and can assist FAs in finding a mental health professional nearby. The desk also handles professional standards concerns so that employees can help their co-workers confidentially. Make a confidential call to APFA’s EAP desk today. The number is 817-540-0108 ext. 8701.
Thank you for calling the APFA Hotline. |
