10.25.08

InfoRep:

Negotiations Update

On Tuesday this week, members of the Negotiating Committee met with your APFA Board of Directors at the annual Fall Convention.† The Board was presented with an up to date presentation surrounding the progress of negotiations.
Wednesday and Thursday saw meetings of the scheduling sub-committees.† Discussions are still centered on Article 10-Reserve.† Your Negotiating Team is committed to bringing desired changes that will offer some relief for those Flight Attendants that must serve reserve.†† These ongoing discussions are scheduled to continue on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

Additionally, next week, subcommittees will meet to discuss last weekís proposals on Article 5-Uniforms and Accessories, Article 12-Filling of Vacancies, and Article 19-Leaves of Absence.

The Fall Board Convention was the first meeting under our new APFA leadership and since the start of negotiations.† The unity displayed by the leadership marks a new beginning for our union.† An aggressive plan to strengthen our union and achieve the contract we all deserve came as a result of that unity.† The plan will include a series of activities beginning with ëRemember Novemberí events around the system on November 18.† Last monthís InfoRep Hotline noted the 15th anniversary of our historic strike against American and reminded everyone to bid accordingly.† Details for this and all future activities will be announced soon.

The unity and commitment of the membership is a major part of this plan.† We are in one of the most financially challenging times in our history ñ both as a country and as a Union.† We are negotiating with a company with unlimited funds.† APFA needs your support now more than ever.† In early 2009, a referendum will be sent to the membership proposing a $2.50 dues increase per pay period.† The referendum will also mandate that three months after a contract is ratified; there will be a reduction of dues in the amount of $2.00 a month.† More information will be provided soon via InfoRep and regular Hotlines, on the www.apfa.org website and from your local base leadership.

Please make sure your contact information is up to date with APFA.† Keeping up to date with all APFA activities will be crucial in the coming months.

Legislative Update by Ray Baylis Legislative Committee Member

More than†half the states–31, to be exact–offer some sort of early voting if you are going to be away from home on November 4th.† Early voting locations vary by state, and may include other county and state offices (besides the election officialís office), grocery stores, shopping malls, schools, libraries, and other locations.† Early voting generally is conducted on the same voting equipment used in the regular election, as opposed to absentee voting, which is conducted on mail-in paper ballots.† The time period for early voting varies from state to state, but most often it is available during a period of 10-14 days before the election, generally ending on the Friday or Saturday immediately preceding the election.

Early Voting
The following states offer in-person early voting at election offices and, in some states, other satellite locations.

Alaska Nebraska Arizona Nevada Arkansas New Mexico California North Carolina Colorado North Dakota

Florida Ohio Georgia Oklahoma Hawaii South Dakota† Idaho Tennessee Illinois Texas

Indiana Utah Iowa Vermont Kansas West Virginia Louisiana Wisconsin Maine Wyoming Montana

If early voting is not an option in your state, then Absentee voting is the way to ensure your voice is heard in the upcoming U.S. National Elections. To find out how to vote absentee in your state, call or visit the website of your local election board, or go online to any number of informational websites. One recommended site is www.longdistancevoter.org linked to from the main page of the APFA web site. This site can assist you in applying for an absentee ballot in the event you may be away from your polling place on November 4.