11.09.08

Dear InfoReps

This is Diana Dunn, Contract Negotiator, with this weekís InfoRep Hotline.

Remember November events are planned around the system. Union Reps will be spending the day in Operations at all bases. In addition, DFW, JFK and DCA will be picketing from 1100-1500 local base time. All members are welcome to picket at any of these bases, or visit any operations. Help show management you are solidly behind your Negotiating Team. Specific details for these events will be posted on the www.apfa.org website the beginning of next week.

Negotiations News

On several occasions APFA President Laura Glading has asked the Companyís team to move outside of the Dallas Ft. Worth area; so far they have declined. Late last week, President Glading sent a letter to Taylor Vaughn formally requesting our desire to move negotiations to a different city to minimize distractions caused by bargaining in the same locale as Americanís and APFAís headquarters. Laura believes the personal financial distress of the membership requires that we reach an agreement as soon as possible and that both parties will be more focused if we move outside Dallas, accelerating the bargaining process. Our team has agreed to remain in Dallas through the end of the year at which time we would move to another city. Should we be unable to reach an agreement on this issue, we feel our only recourse would be to apply to the National Mediation Board for the appointment of a mediator.

On Tuesday, November 4th, negotiating subcommittees met and exchanged proposals and counter proposals. The company presented proposals on Article 18 – Moving Expenses, Article 20 – Medical Appeals/Arbitration, Article 21 ñ Hotels and Transportation, Article 22 – Joint Scheduling Committee, Article 23 ñ Emergency Assignments, Article 24 – Copies of Agreement, Article 31 – Union Security, Article 32 ñ Health and Safety Committees and Article 34 – Purser. The company presented counter proposals on Article 5 – Uniforms and Accessories and Article 12 – Filling of Vacancies. APFA presented the company with a proposal on Article 27 – Bereavement/Personal/Emergency Leaves. Additionally, APFA Negotiators clarified their proposal on Article 19 – Leaves of Absence.

On Wednesday, the APFA Negotiating Team met internally to discuss our Article 10 proposal. Thursday, the two full teams met to clarify our position on Article 10.

Rumor Control

Threshold Flying – During Thursday’s meeting with AA, President Glading told the company that APFA cannot entertain the companyís offer of threshold flying. Due to the VBRs, leaves, attrition and capacity cuts, our Flight Attendants are having difficulty picking up their much needed extra time. This has created a great hardship on the membership, therefore APFA is not in a position to agree to have the Flight Attendants fly a minimum number of hours to maintain employment.

DID YOU KNOW…?
The first collective bargaining agreement between American Airlines, Inc. and the Airline Stewards and Stewardesses Association International was first effective November 01, 1947; for duration of 1 year. The agreement was 32 pages cover to cover and contained 25 articles. Article 7 – Hours of Service was one page and had 6 paragraphs. Currently, Article 7 ñ Hours of Service consists of 18 pages.