FRH – 8.30.15

Sunday, August 30, 2015

FACT Rep Update
Flight Attendant Communications Team

MD-80 Drop Proffer Update
Dues Balance Forgiveness Constitutional Referendum
Mexico International Per Diem
Reserve 35 hours in 7 days (35/7)
Inflight Manual Now Online

MD-80 Drop Proffer Update – LAA

Part of the original criteria for the MD80 drop proffer would have led to seniority violations. Following discussions with the Company, they have agreed to remove the requirement which would have prevented those who have flown the MD80 since September 2013 from holding the proffer. By removing that requirement, the Company has revised the percentage of Flight Attendants that can hold the proffer at each base. Due to the amount of MD80 aircraft that still exists in the system, the Company does not want to prematurely remove qualifications. Removing too many Flight Attendants’ qualification could create a problem where someone is not qualified for an equipment substitution or similar situation which involves MD80 flying, particularly when there is no contractual requirement to offer equipment drop proffers in the first place. While the proffer is not perfect, it is the first step of getting some of our members to be able to drop the qualification while ensuring seniority is respected. There will two more drop proffers in 2016 which will include more Flight Attendants for eligibility. For more details on the revised drop proffer, please see the notice in your aa.com email.

Dues Balance Forgiveness Constitutional Referendum – LAA/LUS

In response to questions APFA has received about the Constitutional referendum currently out for a membership vote, below is additional information and background.

Prior to January 8, 2010, APFA members on unpaid status were not required to pay membership dues. In November of 2009, the APFA Board of Directors passed a resolution proposing to change the Constitution to impose a dues obligation on members on unpaid status. Click here for the text of the Board resolution, which explains the reasoning behind the proposal. In a referendum, the membership voted to adopt the change and, effective January 8, 2010, members on unpaid status were required to pay dues.

In March of 2014, the Board of Directors proposed, and the membership voted, to amend the Constitution to return to the pre-January 2010 rule, under which members on unpaid status are not obligated to pay dues. The change became effective on June 18, 2014.

As a result, the only period during which APFA members on unpaid status were obligated to pay dues was between January 8, 2010 and the June 18, 2014.

In May 2015, the Board of Directors proposed forgiving the dues balances owed for any time within that period. Click here for the text of the Board resolution, which explains the reasoning behind the proposal. For Q&A’s about the referendum, click here.

Dues Balance Forgiveness – Voting Closes September 10

The APFA National Ballot Committee (NBC) would like to inform all Flight Attendants that the Dues Balance Forgiveness Ballot was mailed Tuesday, August 11, 2015. If you have not received your ballot, please contact the NBC at [email protected] or 817-540-0108 ext. 8311, and a 16-digit activation code will be issued to you. Please remember that in order for your vote to count, you must be dues current by Tuesday, September 8, 2015 at 5:00 PM CT. If you have any questions about your dues, please contact the Dues Department at [email protected] or 817-540-0108 ext. 8151. If you have any questions concerning the Dues Balance Forgiveness, please email them to [email protected].

You may cast your vote by phone, 800-698-3789 or on the Internet, https://www.ballotpoint.com/apfa. All votes must be cast by 10:00 am CT on Thursday, September 10, 2015.

Mexico International Per Diem – LAA

Effective September 3rd, all LAA Flight Attendants with a sequence that includes a Mexico segment, will be paid international per diem for the entire sequence. This includes all Mexico sequences that are currently published on the Domestic bid sheet. The programming to pay International per diem for the NIPD segment only, has not yet begun. Once additional programming is completed, International per diem will be paid for NIPD segments only.

Reserve 35 hours in 7 days (35/7) – LAA

Flying in the previous month now counts toward the 35/7 illegality for those on Reserve in September, Reserve 35 hours in 7 days (35/7) will be a manual calculation until programming is completed for the month of October 2015.

A Flight Attendant who believes there is a 35/7 illegality with an assigned sequence may contact Crew Schedule to verify if there is an illegality. The scheduler will review. If the Flight Attendant is illegal, the scheduler will make the necessary adjustment by:

•   Adjusting the sequence;
•   Swapping the Flight Attendant to another sequence; or
•   Placing the Flight Attendant back onto Ready Reserve as necessary.
•   Prior to making any changes, the scheduler will inform the Flight Attendant and give the option of waiving the 35/7 and retaining the trip. Due to programming limitations, waiving the 35/7 will be based on a trip by trip basis during this interim process.

Read more about the calculation of 35 hours in 7 days and where to turn to for help if you need it by clicking here.

Two Required WBT Modules – LAA/LUS

As a reminder, two separate required Web-Based Training (WBT) modules must be completed by September 30, 2015. You will receive $25 training pay for each completed module. Here is a brief description of the two required training modules:

Value of Respect

The Value of Respect training provides an understanding of diversity and inclusion and the important role both play in the workplace. The hope is that after completing the lesson, employees will better understand the importance of recognizing and appreciating the diversity of coworkers and customers.

Payment Card Industry (PCI) Standards

The PCI lesson reviews ways to ensure customer data remains secure and provides “best practices” for Flight Attendants to use when handling credit cards onboard.

To access the lessons:

LAA Flight Attendants: In the Online Learning Center, on Jetnet, click “Launch” next to the course title in “My In-Progress Learning.” Verify completion of the lesson by going to “My Learning / My Transcripts.”
LUS Flight Attendants: Go to LearningPath, click on the “Learner” tab to access your “To Do” list. Click on the “Start” button next to the course title. The activity disappears from your “To Do” list once completed successfully.

Inflight Manual Now Online – LAA/LUS

The Inflight Manual can now be found on the Flight Service website. There are two versions of the online manual:

With SSI – This version of the manual requires a password and has the full contents including the Safety Security Information (SSI)
Without SSI – This version has no SSI and does not require a password

Please note, these online versions do not substitute having the approved and current manual version on your Flight Attendant tablet.

Steve Chen
APFA FACT Rep. Coordinator
[email protected]

Brian Clark
APFA National Communications Interim Chair
[email protected]