5.03.02 – (LAA) – 777 Staffing Arbitration

This is George Price, APFA National Communications Coordinator, with an APFA HotLine Update for Tuesday, May 7, 2002.

On Friday, we reported that the make-up over the monthly maximum provision outlined in Article 7.C.2. and Appendix I, Article 7.C.2. would be tested on Friday, May 3rd, by the Company’s programming analysts. This provision was scheduled for implementation on Wednesday, May 8th. During the testing phase, American Airlines discovered various computer programming glitches that necessitated further testing prior to implementation. Continued tests will be performed this week, and this provision is tentatively scheduled for implementation next week, on Tuesday, May 14th. A complete update will be provided on this Friday’s hotline.

We would like to remind all members especially those who live in the DFW Metroplex or are on a layover or sit time in DFW, the 777 staffing arbitration is being held on May 7th, 8th, and 9th at the DFW Hyatt Hotel. Sessions will begin at 0900 each day. The Hyatt offers shuttle service from all American Airlines terminals at DFW. We encourage members to attend the arbitration in order to see how the system works. If you plan to attend, we ask that you do so in uniform.

Please stay on the line for the May 3rd edition of the APFA HotLine.

 

Hello. Today is Friday, May 3, 2002. This is George Price, APFA National Communications Coordinator, with the APFA HotLine (Revised).

The 777 staffing arbitration will be held at the DFW Hyatt Hotel on May 7, 8, and 9. Each session will begin at 0900. If you would like to attend this very important arbitration, please call Linda Richardson at APFA Headquarters at 800-395-2732, extension 8210 in order to RSVP for the session or sessions you would like to attend. Seating is limited. Members planning to attend should do so in full uniform. For those APFA members on sit time at DFW, the Hyatt does have shuttle service from all American Airlines terminals at DFW. We invite you to come watch your Union at work.

Today, the APFA hosted a meeting of the various Unions on property at AMR including AFA representing American Eagle Flight Attendants, ALPA representing American Eagle Pilots, APA representing American Airlines Pilots, and representatives from the Communications Workers of America or CWA. During this labor summit, plans were finalized to conduct a joint event in order to show AMR executives that the Unions at AMR are in fact unified, and that we will not be pitted against each other no matter the issue. All four Unions will participate in a Unity March at the AMR Stockholders Meeting on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 outside the gates of the American Airlines Learning Center. All APFA members are encouraged to attend this event in full uniform. Picket signs will be provided. If you are an AMR Stockholder, please be sure to bring all of the material regarding the meeting sent to you by AMR in order to attend the meeting itself. More details regarding the May 15th event will be included in next week’s hotline.

American Airlines does not provide APFA with any Flight Attendant’s address, phone number, or email address. Therefore, AA will be mailing the APFA Information Packets to all STL and ISL Flight Attendants. The packets were delivered to the American mailing service on Thursday. This packet contains a Membership Application/Dues Checkoff Authorization Card. In order to become members of the APFA and be considered a member in good standing, you must become a member of the APFA and be dues current. In order to vote in Union elections and referendum, receive Union mail, and have access to the APFA web site, you must be a member in good standing. All STL and ISL Flight Attendants became dues obligated to the APFA on May 1, 2002. Pursuant to Article 31 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the APFA and American Airlines, all Flight Attendants covered by the agreement (including both American Airlines and TWA-LLC Flight Attendants) must join APFA or pay dues and initiation fees as a condition of employment. Failure to become dues current within sixty days of May 1, 2002 can and will result in Article 31 proceedings being started.

An APFA Representative will be on duty in STL Tuesday through Thursday each week in the event any STL or ISL Flight Attendant needs Union Representation. If assistance is needed at any time, STL and ISL Flight Attendants can call APFA Headquarters at 800-395-2732. You will be connected to an APFA Representative. There is also an Officer-on-Duty available after normal business hours.

If you are an STL or ISL Flight Attendant and are interested in being appointed as the interim APFA Base Chair or Vice Chairperson for your base, please submit a letter conveying your interest to the APFA Secretary Linda Lanning. The letter can be sent to APFA Headquarters at 1004 West Euless Blvd, Euless, Texas 76040.

The APFA Hotel Department wants to remind all crews laying over at DFW that Total Enterprise is the limo service that will take you to the long layover hotel. Due to DFW Airport Board rules and regulations, the only place that Total Enterprise is allowed to pick up is the upper level curbside outside of gate A29.

The APFA Board of Directors has directed that the names of all Flight Attendants in dues arrears be published in the May 2002, Issue 4 of Skyword. Those in dues arrears will have until May 8th to make payment arrangements. This can be done by calling the APFA Dues Department at extension 8151 at Headquarters.

On May 1, 2002, the APFA Coordinators and Division Representatives began new two-year terms of office.

The new APFA Coordinators are:

Safety-Joann Matley, BOSI

Contract-Nancy Archer, DFW

Hotels-Patty Bias, SFO

Scheduling-Jenna Hopkins, JFK

Health-Emily Carter, IDF And Communications, yours truly, George Price, IDF

The new Division Representatives are:

Division 1 Brett Dirkin representing LAX, LAXI, SFO, and SFOI

Division 2 Greg Hildreth representing DFW and IDF

Division 3 Linda Richardson representing ORD and IOR

Division 4 Jeff Crecilius representing MIA, IMA, and RDUI

Division 5 Lori Bassani representing STL, ISL, DCA, and DCAI

Division 6 Leslie Mayo representing LGA, JFK, BOS, and BOSI

The contact information for these new APFA Representatives can be found in the center section of the May 2002, Issue 4 of Skyword.

The APFA would like to welcome back to the line the 32 Flight Attendants accepting reemployment and due to report to LGA on May 23rd. Refresher training for these recalled Flight Attendants was held at the Learning Center on May 1st and 2nd. As information is provided to the APFA by American regarding future recalls, we will update this hotline, the InfoRep HotLine, and the APFA web site. For those Flight Attendants still on furlough, we will soon update the APFA Furlough Page on the APFA web site. Please continue to monitor this site for up-to-date information, rumor control, and links to the roommate search and apartments for rent page. If you have heard a rumor regarding furlough or recall, please contact the APFA Communications Department at [email protected] so that it can be addressed on the web site and future hotlines.

Effective Wednesday, May 1, the beginning of the vacation fiscal year, annual participation requirement for pursers took effect. Pursers who wish to receive purser pay during the 2003-2004 vacation fiscal year must achieve the requisite number of hours as determined by their division during this current vacation fiscal year. In order to receive purser pay for trips not flown during your 2003-2004 vacation, domestic pursers must achieve 213 hours, and international pursers must achieve 225 hours.

If you are unable to hold a purser selection, in order to maintain your qualification, you must bid 80% of the purser trip selections prior to bidding non-purser selections, or fly the requisite number of hours through additional flying, such as optional exchange, trip trade, make-up, option II, etc. Credited purser hours, whether obtained through the 80% bidding obligation or through the supplemental flying options just mentioned will count toward your annual participation requirement. In other words, if you achieve 213 hours as a domestic purser through optional exchange, you will receive purser pay during your vacation for the following vacation fiscal year. Please see the bidsheet header pages to determine the number of purser trip selections you are obligated to bid, which are broken down by equipment and base. Remember that the required purser hours will not include any paid purser hours received during your vacation.

Your purser qualification will be revoked if you fail to achieve the required purser hours for two (2) consecutive years. You may reapply for purser one year following the date you lost your qualification provided you meet the selection criteria for being awarded a purser proffer or trigger.

Please refer to Article 34.B.6. of the APFA/AAL Agreement for more detailed information regarding the effect leaves/ authorized absences, and scheduling irregularities may have on your annual participation requirement.

The following provisions will also be implemented in May 2002:

– Company buy-back of scheduled vacation

– Contribution of accrued vacation into 401(k)

– Increased slots for the vacation months of Jul, Aug and Dec

– Make-up over the monthly maximum and TTOT over the monthly maximum was tested today, and is scheduled for implementation on Wednesday, May 8. This provision allows you to exceed your monthly maximum of 77 hours domestic up to 80 hours, and from 82 hours international up to 85 hours. See Article 7.C.2., and Appendix I, Article 7.C.2. and Article 25.C.2.

The contract was delivered to JMH Printing last week, and the printing process is currently underway. We anticipate this process to take an additional 3 to 4 weeks. The Company will distribute the contracts during the latter part of May.

Congressional hearings were held this week on the issue of allowing Pilots to carry guns in the cockpit. The Chairman of the House Transportation Committee Don Young and the Chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee, John Mica have jointly introduced H.R. 4635, the Arming Pilots Against Terrorist Act. On a voluntary basis, it would allow Pilots to be trained and carry guns, much like law enforcement officers. APFA will be monitoring the progress of this bill. At this time, the APFA remains committed to those security enhancements that will ensure the safety and security of both passengers and crews alike.

We’ll end this week’s hotline by welcoming back all of those Flight Attendants coming off of Overage Leaves. That’s it for this week. This hotline will be updated on Friday, May 10th -sooner if events warrant.