6.28.02 – (LAA) – Hotel Contracts Renewed, SLT/ISL FAs, July 4th Flying

Hello. This is George Price, APFA National Communications Coordinator, with the APFA HotLine Update for Monday, July 01, 2002.

Patty Bias, APFA Hotel Coordinator, is very excited to announce that the Company will renew the contract at the New York Park Central Hotel. There is no way that we could have achieved this without the efforts of our membership and the help of the Base Chairs. Congratulations and continue to enjoy New York City at the Park Central.

We have been notified that crew schedule is pre-plotting availability trips for the first five days of July. Although the company rarely pre-plots after bids are final, they do have the contractual right to do so per Article 9.c.4.d and Appendix I.9.c.4.d. If you have had a trip pre-plotted, you may trade or drop the trip and may utilize TTOT.

A SPECIAL MESSAGE TO STL/ISL FLIGHT ATTENDANTS

It is possible to be rescheduled/reassigned at home base at the end of a trip. The order of open time coverage must be followed which may be found in the Contract in Article 9.L. and Appendix I.9.L. If you are rescheduled/reassigned at the end of a trip, please call the APFA Scheduling Desk at extension 8161 so that we can ensure that the proper procedures are being followed. There have been many missed trips given out recently due to Flight Attendants not knowing this rule. If you receive a missed trip, please contact your Base Chair or Vice Chair.

As we reported on the Friday HotLine, APFA has teamed up with the Critical Incident Stress Foundation to develop a survey that will help to ascertain how our membership is coping in the wake of the tragic events of last fall. The survey is included in the June- Issue 5 edition of Skyword. We asked that each Flight Attendant take a few moments to complete the survey. Please return only the answer sheet using the self-addressed envelope. As a reminder, postal rates went up on June 30th. You will need to use a $.37 stamp.

APFA working in conjunction with Flight Service, AMR Corporate Security, and the Allied Pilots Association, has a few reminders to all crewmembers flying during the July 4th weekend and beyond.

*Be cognizant of your surroundings.

*Report ANY suspicious activities to the appropriate personnel.

*Be vigilant DO NOT travel alone outside the hotel area.

*In the event that your layover hotel has holiday festivities -inquire if they are restricted to hotel guests before making your final decision to attend. If the event is open, you may want to consider not attending.

*If you witness any suspicious behavior while on layover notify the local police/authorities, hotel security/management and the AA Local General Manager. Please take the time to contact the APFA Safety Department as well at 800-395 -2732 ext 8302.

Currently there are no TSA or FAA Security Directives or Security Information Circulars specific to the July 4th weekend. These warnings are more to remind each and everyone of us to remain vigilant.

The APFA offices will be closed on Thursday, July 4th and Friday, July 5th in observance of the Independence Day holiday. If you are involved in an incident or accident, the APFA Officer-on-Duty will be available. All other issues should be directed to the appropriate department or representative during normal business hours, which are 0830-1830 Central Time.

Please stay on the line for the Friday, June 28, 2002, edition of the APFA HotLine.

Hello. This is George Price, APFA National Communications Coordinator, with the APFA HotLine Update for Friday, June 28, 2002.

On Thursday, a ceremony was held at APFA Headquarters to officially dedicate a memorial marker and oak tree in memory of those crewmembers lost onboard American Airlines Flights 11 and 77 on September 11, 2001. The tree and the marker were made available through the generous donations of our members and other individuals. Several family members of the crews joined APFA Representatives, members, and staff along with members of the Allied Pilots Association at the dedication. DCA Chairperson Robert Valenta and BOS Chairperson Julia Carrigan presented APFA’s highest honor for safety, the Jose Chiu Award, posthumously to each crewmember. Accepting on their behalf were several family members and close friends. In addition, Mr. John Tibbetts, CEO of the American Airlines Credit Union, presented the APFA with a limited edition print in honor of the Flight 11 and 77 crews. This incredible piece of art now proudly hangs in the foyer of the APFA Headquarters Building. Pictures of the event can be viewed on the APFA Web site.

The June, Issue 5 of Skyword will hit the mail by the end of this week. Included in this issue is a Critical Incident Stress Management Survey. This survey is being conducted at the recommendation of the APFA Board of Directors in cooperation with the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation in order to gain a full understanding as to how our membership is handling the events of September 11th and the crash of Flight 587. We urge every member of the APFA to take a few moments to complete this survey. Only the answer sheet will be returned using the self-addressed envelope.

The Allied Pilots Association (APA) and American Airlines have agreed to jointly file for mediation in their contract talks. The APA exchanged contract proposals with American on July 24, 2001. Since that time, there has been very little progress in the talks. APA conducted informational picketing on Thursday, June 27, 2002, at DFW, ORD, LGA, DCA, and MIA.

As we have reported in the past few weeks, American Airlines CEO Don Carty and other airline executives have begun a push in Congress to make changes to the way airline labor contracts are negotiated. Mr. Carty has repeatedly gone on record as opposing the current way we negotiate contracts and has heralded the benefits of what he terms a “last-best offer” approach. This would allow a third party to choose one party’s proposal over the other. The APFA is adamantly opposed to any changes in the current collective bargaining process, especially one that allows a third party to decide provisions of our contract in a “winner take all” binding decision. All APFA members need to be prepared to act on this issue and very soon. The future of the collective bargaining process may well be at stake. Please monitor the hotlines, the APFA Web site, and watch your e-mail for more information.

The House Aviation Subcommittee recently voted on a bill allowing a limited number of Pilots to carry guns in the cockpit. This bill would create a test program for a period of two years during which no more than 1,400 Pilots or 2% of the Pilot workforce would be permitted to carry guns. The Pilots involved in this test would be required to complete a law-enforcement-style training course. The bill included mandatory self-defense training for Flight Attendants but did not include the instant two-way communication system or the study of non-lethal weapons for Flight Attendants that the Senate version of this bill contained. The bill passed the full House Aviation Committee earlier this week. It now goes before the full House for a vote. The APFA does not endorse the idea of guns in the cockpit. We do support fortifying cockpit doors, an instant two-way communication system between the cockpit and the cabin, mandatory self-defense training for all Flight Attendants, and the study of non-lethal weapons for Flight Attendants. APFA encourages all Flight Attendants to contribute to our Political Action Committee (PAC). The donation made to our PAC will give us a stronger voice in Washington.

It has come to the attention of the APFA that TWA-LLC Flight Attendants who are on furlough or on an unpaid leave were not sent the APFA information packet, which contained the Membership Application/Dues Check-Off Authorization Card. If you did not receive your packet, please contact the APFA Membership Department at 800-395-2732, extension 8153 or by e-mail at [email protected] to receive one. If you are on furlough, you should complete both cards. You will be considered a member in good standing with the right to vote, receive union mail including Skyword, the APFA newsletter, and have access to the members only section of the APFA web site. You will not be dues obligated, nor will you have to pay your initiation fee until you return from furlough.

If you are a STL or ISL Flight Attendant and have authorized dues check-off, your dues and the first $25.00 of the initiation fee will automatically be deducted from your paycheck. This may take a pay period or two to begin. Due to the fact that all TWA-LLC Flight Attendants became dues obligated to the APFA on May 1 and dues check-off may not have begun until after the first few pay periods, the APFA has sent out bills. In some cases, this may include the $25.00 initiation fee. If you have completed the “Dues Check-Off” section of the Membership Application Card and you received a bill for the initiation fee, please disregard the $25.00. You are, however, responsible for the remainder of the balance.

From the Safety Desk: Any Flight Attendant observing a security or safety violation should immediately report it to their Captain, Service Manager, the M.O.D., the agent, or some other American Airlines personnel. The APFA Safety Department can be reached at 800-395-2732, extension 8302. After regular business hours of 0830 to 1830 Central Time, you may leave a message and a Safety Representative will be paged. It is not the responsibility of the individual Flight Attendant to contact local authorities unless an American Airlines or APFA Representative cannot be contacted within a reasonable amount of time.

Language proficiency testing will begin in July for those Flight Attendants who were qualified in French, Japanese, and Portuguese prior to 2002. Flight Attendants who received their initial language qualification in 2002 will not be tested until 2004. Testing dates and times are published on the bid sheet header pages. Please be advised that all assessment tests will be recorded by ULC. The Company has notified APFA that it does not intend to compensate language qualified Flight Attendants for this language assessment. The APFA’s position is that this assessment is training and that compensation should therefore be provided in accordance with Article 3.H. of the Agreement. Stay tuned.

The APFA Hotel Department reports that the Company has still made no decision regarding the long layover hotel in New York City. In addition, the Company has now targeted the Sherry Frontenac in Miami. Again, membership feedback on our layover hotels is essential now more than ever. You can complete a Pink Hotel Debrief form found near the APFA Bulletin Boards in Operations or go to the APFA Web site and click the “Department” icon and then the “Hotel” icon to complete the online feedback form.

Within the next two weeks, MBNA America will be mailing an APFA Infinity VISA application to all APFA members. APFA has entered into an agreement with MBNA to offer this new service to our members. Those members that apply and are accepted will receive exceptional Customer Service and benefits-including a low introductory APR, no annual fee, and use of the expanded MBNA Internet site. Cardholders will generate income for the APFA at no additional cost to them. These funds will be used to help fund 2004 contract negotiations. Information regarding this exciting offer can be found in the May and June issues of Skyword. Members may apply by phone by calling 1-866-438-6262 and using the priority code TYB2.

The City of Irving, Texas will be holding a 4th of July celebration. In order to honor those crewmembers lost on American Airlines Flights 11 and 77 on September 11, 2001, The Mayor of Irving has asked Flight Attendants and Pilots from American to participate in this celebration. If you are interested, please call Jacqueline Madden at 972-721-2716. The APFA encourages all members to be a part of your community’s Independence Day activities. It is a wonderful way to honor those we have lost.

Until next week, please visit the APFA Web site for the latest information. Fly safe and remain vigilant.