6.01.01 – (LAA) – AA Profferes Binding Arbitration to Resolve Dispute, 30-Day Cooling Off Period, PhoneWatch

Negotiations Update

This is APFA President John Ward with a negotiations update. Today is Friday, June 1.

As you will recall, last week, the National Mediation Board declared an “impasse” in our contract talks with American Airlines. Consequently, it proffered binding arbitration to the parties as a means to resolve the dispute.

On Wednesday of this week, the APFA Board of Directors met in Dallas/ Fort Worth to discuss the NMB’s proffer, and following a thorough briefing by the Negotiating Committee on the Company’s May 23rd offer, voted unanimously to reject the proffer of arbitration. As a result, the 30-day countdown toward a possible strike has now begun. The “cooling off” period will officially expire at midnight EDT, on June 30, 2001.

Our Negotiating Committee has worked tirelessly and has tried everything possible to get a new contract. We have narrowed our differences, but the Company has still not been willing to put the money on the table that is needed to get the job done. The Company likes to characterize its current proposal as “industry leading” when, in fact, the pay it has offered would keep us behind the industry leader for the entire duration of the contract. Rest assured that the APFA remains committed to exerting all reasonable efforts to reach an acceptable conclusion to these negotiations prior to the expiration of the “cooling off” period without the necessity of a strike. In that regard, talks have been scheduled to resume in Washington, D.C., beginning on June 5.

A mailing will soon be sent to all flight attendants from APFA explaining our position in detail. In the meantime please continue to call this HotLine for regular updates. In addition, should you have any questions about the Company’s latest proposal, APFA volunteers are available Monday-Friday at Phone Watch, 866-ASK-APFA.

Thank you for your continued support, please stay on the line…

This is Leslie Mayo, National Communications Coordinator, with more APFA HotLine news for the week ending June 1, 2001.

We are now in a 30-day cooling-off period and it is crucial that we have all members’ phone numbers and addresses on file. If you have not received a telephone call from an APFA PhoneTree volunteer within the last month, we do NOT have your correct phone number at APFA Headquarters. To be sure your correct number is in our records, please go to the web site at www.www.apfa.org and click on PhoneTree to ensure your information is on file. AA does not share their database with APFA so don’t assume that because AA has it, we have it. You can also fill out the change of address card found in Skyword, or call APFA PhoneWatch at (toll-free) 866.ASK.APFA.

Speaking of PhoneWatch, we are always looking for volunteers to man the phones at APFA Headquarters. PhoneWatch is extending their hours from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday to answer any and all negotiations-related questions.

APFA Headquarters has an 800 number for all callers outside of our area, however, if you are in the DFW Metro area please remember to use our local number: 817.540.0108.

American Airlines cleverly disguised their last bit of propaganda in a large white envelope free of any return address or other identifying marks to trick you into opening their latest attempt at bargaining directly with the membership. Leave that job to the Negotiating Teams. APFA bargains for the membership. AA bargains for AA. Mark their envelope “REFUSED – RETURN TO SENDER” and place in the top left corner the following address:

Sue Oliver
Senior VP Human Resources
AA, Inc.
PO Box 619616
MD 5604
DFW Airport, TX 75261-9616

After receiving a call from the White House recently, APFA President John Ward and our Legislative Affairs Representative Joan Wages met with one of President Bush’s labor advisors at the White House. The discussion focused on our struggle with American Airlines and our hopes that President Bush and Congress would refrain from intervention in our case. John spoke eloquently and firmly to the issues raised by the White House advisor. Our message didn’t stop at Capitol Hill last week – rest assured that our message has gone to the very top. It’s time to let President Bush know that you want him to stay out of our Negotiations, too. Let APFA and AA bargain at the table without any intervention by a Presidential Emergency Board. Call the White House at 202.456.1414 and speak to a representative who will listen to and take note of your comments.

At 12:00 a.m. on Friday, June 1st, AeroMexico’s Flight Attendants went on strike and have literally shut the airline down. President Bush’s good friend and Mexico’s President Vicente Fox has proclaimed that he will NOT intervene in the strike with his own government-owned airline. They are asking for a 17% wage increase and less working hours on international flights. AeroMexico currently transports over 10% of the entire air traffic in Mexico.

In other news, the APFA Hotel Department wants to remind you that our move to the new downtown layover Hotel in New York will be on July 1st, not June 1st as was previously stated.

That’s it for this week. Please continue to wear your union pin at all company training events, and only your union pin, wings and nametag on your uniform while at work. It’s time to turn your bagtag around and let American Airlines know: “TIME’S UP!”. Thank you for calling the APFA HotLine.