FACT Rep Update 10.16.13

 

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FACT Rep Update – October 16, 2013

 

Hello FACT REPS,
Today, I am sending you this FACT update from the annual APFA Fall Board of Directors meeting. Your APFA Leadership met yesterday for very important training in the areas of retirement and pensions. Today and tomorrow, October 17, your Board of Directors will be in session conducting business on behalf of the membership. ALL members in good standing are welcome to attend the open portions of the meeting. Come watch YOUR union at work. The meeting is being held at the Embassy Suites Hotel in downtown Ft. Worth.
 
FACT: The APFA Board of Directors is comprised of every Domestic and International chairperson system wide – 16 in total. These members of the board are elected by the APFA membership at their respective bases.
 
FACT: As you already know, the Department of Justice and attorneys general from six states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit to try to stop the merger between American and US Airways and block what is good for both workers and passengers.
 
Capwiz Call to Action
Let your voices be heard. Tell the DOJ they got it WRONG!
 
Go to www.apfa.org and click on the Capwiz Call to Action link on the home page. It only takes a few seconds to send this letter to your congresswomen/men in your state and district asking for their support in our merger. Please inform your fellow colleagues about this very important letter.
 
FACT: The 2009 change in Washington signaled that labor unions were to be key players in the effort to restore America’s middle class. In response, President Laura Glading launched APFA’s Government Affairs Program.
 
On March 17, 2009, Joan Wages – APFA’s Washington Representative – conducted a training session for future APFA FA lobbyists. In May 2009, Flight Attendant Julie Frederick (IDF) took over as coordinator to provide continuity, support the Flight Attendant lobbyists as they contact and meet with members of Congress and capitalize on the current union-friendly administration.  The meetings are crucial to promoting a deeper understanding of not only how the airline industry has changed – particularly from the perspective of the front line worker – but also how the role of flight attendants on board the aircraft has evolved and expanded.
 
APFA members can assist by staying informed and getting involved. Whether by email or letter, phone or fax, the voice of the APFA membership is key to achieving results and moving our agenda forward.
 
FACT: Having a strong voice in the Halls of Congress has never been more important for unions like ours than it is today. As APFA members, you have shown remarkable resolve and tenacity through this bankruptcy and now this AA/US merger. Together we have learned that the influences of America’s current political climate are an incredibly important factor in our futures.
 
Union dues are NEVER used to support political candidates.  Through your voluntary donations to our APFA PAC (Political Action Committee), we support both Democrats and Republicans who support issues that are important to flight attendants.   Now more than ever, we need your help electing Members of Congress who we can trust will fight for us. For less than the cost of a cup of coffee, you can make a difference.  Whether it is $1 or $5, every contribution to the APFA PAC fund helps.  Together we can ensure we have people who will stand with us. 
 
Please pick up and sign a PAC card today. These cards are located in the operations area in APFA lock boxes. Fill out the card and drop it in the box. Your local reps will forward your card to APFA HDQs. Your contribution will be payroll deducted.
 
FACT: Over three years ago, APFA hired O’Neill and Associates to handle federal relations services for the union, complementing and expanding on the work Julie Frederick was doing in Washington. Since then, their services to APFA have expanded to include helping with public relations and internal communications.
 
O’Neill and Associates is a public affairs firm founded by Thomas P. O’Neill III, former Lt. Governor of Massachusetts and the son of the late Speaker Tip O’Neill. With offices in Boston and Washington, DC, O’Neill and Associates offers local, state, and federal government relations services as well as strategic communications and media relations solutions.

The O’Neill and Associates team has worked closely with and on behalf of the APFA on numerous issues both high-profile and behind the scenes: knives on planes, OSHA in the cabin, bankruptcy, the merger, and most recently the antitrust case.

Look for Peter Goelz and/or Anthony DeMaio at the upcoming roadshows and introduce yourself.
 
FACT: The new AA Crew ID badges are currently being rolled out to various bases this week and will continue over into next week. 
 
Once a base has received the new ID badges, they will begin communicating with flight attendants at their respective crew base on the issuance of the new crew ID. Keep an eye on your HI6 messages as more information will become available.
Every FA will need to obtain their new crew ID badge on or before December 31, 2013, as our current crew ID will expire at midnight on December 31, 2013.
 
FACT: Last week, I referenced OE trips. OE trips are not paid unless you actually fly the trip. SK, VC, PVD will not pay an OE trip on your schedule. The exceptions to this are JURY DUTY (JD) and BEREAVEMENT (BR). These OEs will be removed and paid provided the trip was already on your schedule prior to notifying your supervisor of such JD or BR.
 
FACT: Contained in the Last Best Final Offer (“LBFO”), is a 3% equity claim for which all flight attendants are eligible. It is important to note that as a result of the merger, the value of AAG (American Airlines Group) stock APFA will receive is anticipated to be greater than the value APFA would have received without the merger.
 
All FAs on the APFA/AA Seniority List as of August 19, 2012, with W-2 earnings as an American Airlines Flight Attendant between January 1, 2009, and August 31, 2012, will receive an allocation of the equity provided to APFA in settlement of its bankruptcy claim.
 
Once the stock is deposited, you and you alone will have the right to decide if and when you want to sell your shares. For Q&As, click here.
 
FACT: We need your friends to join the FACT Rep program.
Please forward the link below and have them sign up for FACT today. http://eepurl.com/ES8-D
 
Merger News:

• American Airlines, US Airways won’t appeal special master’s ruling on documents, names
• Oklahoma AG Pruitt, unions support airline merger

Q&A
 
Q: Is it true that you can’t attend recurrent training (EPTs) if you forget your tablet?
A: No, not true. Flight Service has asked that you bring your tablet with you to recurrent training for update purposes. Regardless, you will still be allowed to attend your recurrent training class as scheduled.
 
Q: I heard Honolulu is opening up as a flight attendant base, is that true?
A: The Company to date has NOT informed APFA of any base openings, including HNL.
 
Q: Do I have to attend dual-qualification training if I am very senior?
A: The Company publishes a voluntary ballot every month proffering dual qual training. In the event of an insufficient number of proffers, the company will draft flight attendants in reverse seniority order.
 
Please remind your fellow crew members of the upcoming APFA roadshow at your base:

DFW—October 22
Grapevine Convention Center
1209 South Main Street
Grapevine, TX  76051
817/410-3459
*Parking complimentary
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
RDU—October 28
Hilton Garden Inn Raleigh-Durham/Research Triangle Park
4620 South Miami Blvd.
Durham, NC  27703
919/941-6066
*Shuttle Service to/from hotel and parking complimentary
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
STL—October 30
Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel
9801 Natural Bridge Road
Saint Louis, MO  63134-3307
314/429-1100
*Shuttle service to/from airport and parking complimentary
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
DCA—October 31
Radisson Hotel Reagan National Airport
2020 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, VA  22202
703/920-8600
*Parking—APFA will pay for parking
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
LAX—November 5
Hilton Los Angeles Airport
5711 West Century Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA  90045
310/410-4000
*Shuttle service to/from Los Angeles Airport–Complimentary
*Parking—APFA will pay for parking
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
SFO—November 6
Embassy Suites South San Francisco
250 Gateway Blvd.
South San Francisco, CA  94080
650/589-3400
*Shuttle Service to/from airport—Complimentary
*Parking—APFA will pay for parking
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Note start time differs from other meetings)
 
JFK—November 12
Hilton New York JFK Airport
144-02 135th Avenue
Jamaica, NY  11436
718/659-0200
*Shuttle service to/from JFK Airport—Complimentary
*Parking—APFA will pay for parking
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
MIA—November 13
Miami International Airport
CONCOURSE “D” AUDITORIUM—LEVEL 4
(located above the American Airlines Credit Union)
NW 20th Street & Le Jeune Road
Miami, FL  33122
305/871-4100
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
ORD—November 19
Hyatt Regency O’Hare
9300 Bryn Mawr Avenue
Rosemont, IL  60018
847/696-1234    
*Shuttle service to/from O’Hare Airport—Complimentary
*Parking—APFA will pay for parking
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
BOS—November 20
Embassy Suites Boston at Logan Airport
207 Porter Street
Boston, MA  02128
617/567-5000
*Shuttle service to/from Boston Logan Airport—Complimentary
*Parking—APFA will pay for parking
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
That’s it for this week. Remember to stay informed and get the FACTs.

Michael Truan
APFA Negotiator
FACT Rep Coordinator

AmericanAirlines + US Airways 
“MERGE!”