5.02.25 – APFA LGA Base Brief – Moving Forward

Moving Forward

Friday, May 2, 2025

I want to express my gratitude to the LGA base for the opportunity to serve as your base president for a third term alongside Megan Blanchard as vice president. We genuinely appreciate your support and are dedicated to continuing our efforts to improve the quality of work life in this large, expensive city. Our top priority is to remain vigilant regarding any potential impacts on our careers and protect what we have earned as we advocate for a supportive work environment.

Union Representation

When faced with inquiries from management, whether through calls, emails, or texts, remember the power of union representation. You have the right to consult a Union representative before responding. This is not just a suggestion, but a crucial step to protect your rights.

Remember, your days off are yours to keep. No employee should give up their entitled days off to management. If management has any inquiries or investigations, they can schedule a meeting on a regular working day or when you are expected to work and send you an electronic notice. This approach allows you the necessary time to consult with a Union representative. It’s your right, and you must assert it if it is not honored. Protect your well-being and work-life balance by safeguarding your days off.

Managers have been known to seek information on attendance and performance without following our contractual investigation process. Any inquiry about performance or attendance is considered an investigation, even if it seems casual. So, please exercise your right to Union representation.

To contact us for Union representation, please email us at [email protected] or [email protected].

Inflight Performance Re-Org

As many of you know, the Performance side of the Inflight department is being reorganized, leading to a significant change in how the Inflight department functions locally at the bases. The most obvious change will be the reduction in the number of managers available to assist us with daily work issues. This decision comes with almost no direct input from APFA. Management claims that there is a need for managers in key operational areas, and that the main purpose is to be where Flight Attendants are to be able to best support us. However, since as Flight Attendants we already have the necessary skills and understanding of our roles, it is safe to expect managers will primarily focus on addressing operational shortcomings.

I am concerned that this will also increase unnecessary surveillance of Flight Attendants. I have already established essential expectations with management regarding how we should handle any impact this reorganization has on any increase in performance investigations of Flight Attendants.

Any hesitation in my message stems from many initiatives launched during my four years as base president, which have harmed the members I represent. A clear example is the decline in necessary support within the attendance policy, which you all understand well. Management must work closely with the APFA at every level to ensure we advocate effectively for Flight Attendants and revisit any policies or initiatives that need attention.

HOW WE CAN PROTECT OUR CAREERS

Below are three steps to guide you in following the chain of command when seeking assistance on matters that fall under management’s responsibilities. Remember, your concerns are our concerns, and by working together, we can ensure they are addressed.

• Please direct any inflight-related concerns to the appropriate manager, whether they pertain to attendance or performance. Everything from issues with the scheduling systems, training, pay, and even questions on contractual matters, should be addressed with a manager first. Make sure to have the contact information for your reporting managers readily available. If you need help identifying your manager, please reach out to us.
• If the issue is not critically urgent, please use email to communicate and follow up on your request for assistance. Remember to copy us in your communication with management using the base admin emails – [email protected] or [email protected].
• If you do not receive a fair resolution or lack support, please inform us so we can follow up on your behalf, including filing a dispute if necessary.

Employee Parking Lot Safety

JFK Employee Lot 10

Over the past year, we have encountered safety challenges at the JFK Employee Lot 10.

Initially, a large crater posed a risk, and poor repairs by the Port Authority led to personal property damage for some members. We are facing problems with the inadequate bus service for Flight Attendants between Lot 10 and Terminal 8. The small buses cannot handle our luggage, and the steep stairs present an injury risk. Many members have expressed concerns, sending photos of hazardous conditions with luggage piled up on the small racks the buses are equipped with, not meant for Flight Crews.

We have discussed these safety issues with local management and are glad that steps are being taken to prevent unsafe bus transportation. The vendor responsible for this service has not provided replacement buses when needed, prompting further discussions to clarify that small buses are unacceptable.

If you encounter a small bus and feel unsafe, please note the departure time and take a photo of the bus. Wait for the next bus; management will be accountable if you experience a late report or missed trip. Email your Crew Attendance Manager with the details and include us at [email protected].

If you ride the small bus, please report it to us so we can track it and continue to address these ongoing issues.

LGA Employee Lot P-10

We receive fewer complaints from the LGA employee parking lot; however, we still encounter issues with delayed bus service and erratic routes that do not follow the pre-selected schedule. Please continue to report these incidents through FA reports and email your crew manager for follow up, with us copied in.

Please be cautious about where you ask the bus driver to drop you off, as strict Port Authority rules govern airport property and all vehicles entering or exiting the airport.

As you may have seen in our previous communications, the parking stickers issued by the Port Authority did not come with any explanation. We promptly filed a base notice of dispute and worked with local APA Union leadership to address this poorly designed system, which posed privacy risks for flight crews whose vehicles were marked as parked in an airport lot. The issue has since been resolved, and stickers are no longer required to be affixed to any part of your vehicle when parked in the P-10 employee lot.

EWR Employee Lot

The NY/NJ Port Authority decided to print the names of employees who parked in the EWR Employee lot. Concerns of privacy violations for all employees using the lot were immediately communicated to management, resulting in a base Notice of Dispute (NOD) filed. Thanks to collaboration with the local APA team, we eliminated the requirement for Flight Crews to display their names on their parking hangtags.

I am thankful to the local New York APA Leadership, LGA Chair Captain Mark T. Lokey, and LGA Vice Chairperson Captain Jim Scanlan for their support and collaboration on matters that impact us all as workers at the base.

EWR is Part of New York

As management implements changes, EWR operations remains an important item on my list of priorities. Management must provide Flight Attendants at EWR with fair allocations and reliable support. While EWR’s support may differ from LGA or JFK, it should never be subpar.

New hires often cover early morning and late evening flights at EWR, so they need adequate assistance. Our group, “Club EWR,” includes members from various seniorities who commute from different locations. I recently met with them to discuss EWR’s challenges and how we can encourage management to support this terminal. Stay tuned for updates on our plans for EWR and how we can work together to improve support across all terminals.

Regardless of whether we fly from EWR, we must unite to support our base, and EWR is part of New York.

Get Ahead of the Performance Uncertainty

Please ensure that you know how to verify the accuracy of your attendance and performance records. We frequently meet with members scheduled for meetings with management, and we often discover inaccuracies in both records that do not correctly reflect the facts.

Check your MyView Performance detail record periodically.

Customer complaints and other performance issues are usually entered into your performance record before you have had an opportunity at due process per the CBA between APFA/AA. The sooner you spot an issue or an entry you are concerned about, email us at [email protected]. We will assign a representative to assist you and facilitate a discussion with Inflight. If necessary, we will offer you an opportunity to schedule a file review per our CBA.

Please, Let’s Do Our Part – Check Company Email Periodically

Regularly checking your company email can help you avoid unnecessary mandatory meetings, giving you an opportunity to schedule any required meetings on your terms. We often see the frustration when members experience interruptions to your personal schedule, especially during the summer and holidays. If you receive communication about meeting with management or requests related to your performance, please contact us at [email protected].

Because we understand that certain issues create feelings of uncertainty, we do our best to respond to all emails within the business day, and at the latest within 24 hours. If you do not get a response from us in 24 hours, please follow up by resending or replying to your email.

If you need to speak to a representative urgently, please call us directly. We now have an 800 number that members can use to reach us, and several representatives have access to these calls. You may also text this number for service. LGA Base Rep. Line: 800-695-4265.

Know Where You Were & When

One major performance issue causing frequent meetings with management is the “late-to-gate” infraction, tied to their expectations regarding our arrival at the gate reader (EGR). APFA does not support using the EGR to monitor Flight Attendants, as we believe it was intended to ensure agents board flights with confirmed minimum crew.

Management has started tagging Flight Attendants for delays if we arrive at the EGR even a few seconds late. If you face operational issues, such as short connections or delays due to agents, note when you are ready to scan. Keeping these records helps your representatives support you if management provides conflicting documentation.

If a manager reaches out to you to inquire about a “late-to-gate” matter, this is an investigative inquiry, and you have the right to Union representation to answer these questions. When you contact us, we ensure your contractual rights are upheld, time off is yours, and any time given to management to answer questions is on paid duty time. Our approach is a result of often seeing members respond to their managers only to be subject to a meeting after the manager has sought and received information.

Quarterly WBT Training

Please monitor the time to complete online training, including our annual CQ lessons. We are concerned that management may be violating our contract terms and exploiting APFA’s reasonable expectations regarding online curriculum. We will provide more information on this topic in an upcoming base brief. If you encounter any unusual lengths of training time, please report them to us at [email protected].

Rumor Control: Hiring Forecast

I know there has been some buzz on social media regarding American’s plans to halt hiring for the remainder of the year. We are expected to receive new hire classes weekly until 25-14 when there will be a break, as we have seen for the past two years. While I understand that any changes to hiring plans can be unsettling, it’s crucial to seek information from reliable sources. The pause in hiring is a proactive measure to protect our current jobs, and we should not let social media rumors create unnecessary fear or uncertainty. Please remember that the information we receive directly from the company and APFA is the most reliable and should be our primary source.

There is currently no threat of furloughs or staffing reductions known to APFA. We are committed to transparency, so if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact either local base officers.

Growth of the LGA Base Council

We will grow our base council in the coming weeks through local training and mentorship. Our base is growing, and it is crucial that we create a healthy balance for everyone. We aim to have a strong team made up of members of all seniorities, backgrounds, and talents.

Union involvement is not just about staying engaged with matters relevant to our contract and profession. It’s about being part of a team that is constantly looking for ways to elevate our profession. Your involvement is significant, and together, we can shape the future of our profession. Image is also significant, so we also make sure we brand New York in a way that makes our members proud to identify with our base.

We are hosting local BCR training on May 5-6 and look forward to more training sessions every quarter to continue strengthening our team. Shortly after our training session, we will share the names and contact information for the new council representatives who will be actively serving us all.

If you are interested in joining our base council, please get in touch with us at [email protected]. We will guide you through the process, which involves expressing your interest, attending local training, a brief walk-a-mile, and then being officially welcomed into the council.

We will be sharing another official update in the coming weeks. Please fly safe and take care of one another.

In Solidarity,

Christian M. Santana
LGA Base President
PROUD to Represent New York-LGA
[email protected]

Megan Blanchard
LGA Base Vice President
PROUD to Represent New York-LGA
[email protected]