Item#1 Appointment of Federal Mediator
As you know, American Airlines filed for mediation in our contract talks. We recently received word from the National Mediation Board that Mediator Linda Puchala has been assigned to the case. It is expected that the Company and the APFA will have their first meeting with the mediator on September 13th. In addition, the Negotiation Committee and APFA attorneys met with one of the NMB Board Members on Tuesday of this week to discuss the mediation process. The Negotiation Committee will continue to meet internally in preparation for mediated talks and we look forward to working with Mediator Puchala.

Item#2 Labor Day Event
As previously announced, APFA info Reps, along with the National Officers and all other APFA Representatives will be distributing leaflets to passengers at all base cities this Monday. September 4th, Labor Day. The message to our passengers: “We’re getting shortchanged and so are you!” I will be at DFW Airport; Vice President Jeff Bott will be at JFK; Secretary Linda Lanning will be at DFW; and Treasurer Juan Johnson will be at both BWI and DCA airports.

Item#3 Reserve Survey
The Negotiation Committee is very pleased that over 10,000 reserve surveys were received at APFA Headquarters. Based on your feedback, we will know how best to proceed on the issue of reserve rotations and the guarantee and maximum for Domestic.

Item#4 New Bag Tag
The first shipment of our new APFA luggage tags has arrived and is being sent to all members starting this week. The final Shipment is due any day and everyone should have the new tag within a week. The theme of our new bag tag is “It’s about time”. The first insert, “10,9,8,” marks the beginning of APFA’s “Contract Countdown”. Please be sure to read the enclosed cover and attach the new tag to your luggage as soon as you receive it.

Finally, take a moment this Labor Day to reflect on the role organized labor has played in our nation’s history in securing better wages, safer working conditions, and humane treatment for America’s workers. Have a happy and safe Labor Day, and we’ll see you at the airport.

Now please stay on the line for more APFA Hotline news.

This is Leslie Mayo, APFA National Communications Coordinator with the rest of this week’s Hotline news.

The response to our new APFA web site has been outstanding. We encourage all members with internet access to visit the site at www.apfa.org. Please remember that any post to our “members only” bulletin board must be within the guidelines of the disclaimer all members confirm before they log in. We also do not approve of defamatory or slanderous statements. Failure to adhere to the guidelines of the disclaimer will result in the removal of the member’s access to the Bulletin Board.

Details of United Airlines new pilot’s contract were released today. The contract calls for annual pay raises across the board of 4% which, when compounded, will equate to a 42% total pay increase for narrow-body pilots and 50% for wide body. Basically, by 2004, a senior 75 or 76 Captain would earn $264 an hour. This compares with American’s Pilots making a mere $193.70 as of September 1. This agreement also permits the pilots to block United’s merger with US Airways Group. Samuel Buttrick of PaineWebber was quoted as saying that “this will raise pilot costs across the industry by upwards of a billion dollars a year relative to where they otherwise might have been.” “These wage gains will definitely reverberate throughout the industry, most likely affecting Delta next and perhaps American if they reopen negotiations”, commented airline labor consultant Brad Bartholomew of Newfoundland Group.

Speaking of re-opening negotiations, two APA Board Members changed their minds and urged their members to vote against our Pilot’s tentative agreement. Phillip Beall, the DFW Base Chair and his Vice Chair, Jeff Sheets sent an e-mail to members in what appears to be the beginning of an organized effort to oppose this new T/A. Beall and Sheets stated that since the United agreement came out, quote “the negotiating floor has been substantially raised”. Ratification ballots have already been sent to all members and results will be announced on Wednesday, September 20th. Mr. Carty, on the other hand, has upped the ante by promising Pilots an early open for negotiations in their next round of bargaining if they ratify this T/A which is basically a one-year extension to their current contract. This offer was made to ensure that pilots would not fall behind United and Deltas pay and benefits.

Southwest Airlines Transport Workers Union President, Gary Shults said that there will be NO coordinated sickout over the Labor Day Weekend. He said that any job action by the rampers would be illegal at this point.

American has announced it will use the Alliance Maintenance Base in Ft. Worth as the maintenance base for the Boeing triple 7. They will use the $10 million dollar 777 uni-dock already built there to work on the upper part of the aircraft. This move will reportedly create hundreds of new aircraft maintenance jobs.

Don’t forget it’s Pins and Wings only! Come out and join your fellow Flight Attendants and Union Reps at your local base anytime between 11-7 on Monday, September 4th. Stay unified and thank you for calling the APFA HotLine.