5.07.04 – (LAA) – BOD Conclude Special Meeting and Pass Resolutions, Lobbying in DC, FA Fatgue, Special Meeting of EC, AMR American Eagle FAs Conduct Informational Picketing

Hello everyone. This is Liz Geiss, APFA National Communications Coordinator, with the APFA Hotline for Friday, May 7, 2004.

The APFA Board of Directors concluded a special meeting in the DFW area this week. During the course of their meeting, the Board approved balloting the APFA membership on numerous changes to the APFA Constitution. The recommended changes to the Constitution will be explained in detail in the coming weeks through mailers to the membership, the web site, and the APFA Hotline. It is anticipated that the ratification ballot will be mailed to the membership within the next few weeks. Any change to the APFA Constitution requires a majority vote of eligible members casting ballots.

The Board also passed resolution #3. This resolution states that “as soon as administratively possible, through April 30, 2006, APFA voluntarily waives collection of $3.00 per month in required dues payments so that required monthly dues payment will be $38 per month.” The resolution continues by stating that “effective May 1, 2006, the full regular monthly dues requirement of $41 per month will be reinstated.” APFA has the ability to open contract negotiations with American Airlines early in May 2006. The minutes of the Board meeting and all resolutions considered by the Board will be posted on the APFA Web site under “EC/BOD Meetings” once they have been prepared by the Secretary’s Office.

Time is running out! It’s time to make your arrangements to march on Capitol Hill on May 12th. On that day, APFA will join other Flight Attendant unions in Washington to discuss the issues of Flight Attendant fatigue, reduced layover rest, and safety and security training for Flight Attendants with members of Congress. If you would like to be a part of this exciting lobby event, you must contact IMA Vice Chair Rick Musica no later than Monday, May 10th. Rick can be reached via e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 817-540-0108 or 800-395-2732, extension 8462. He will need your name, base, employee number, address, phone number, and nine-digit Zip Code or Congressional District. Due to security issues, all commitments must be received by May 10th and must be firm.

At the conclusion of joint event, APFA represented Flight Attendants will visit several Senate offices to discuss with the legislative aids responsible for aviation issues our concerns about safety issues that arise from reduced layover rest and Flight Attendant fatigue.

If you have not yet completed the TSA letter recently sent to all APFA Represented Flight Attendants, please do so today! The letters must be received by the APFA no later than close of business on May 10th. The easiest way to ensure that your letter is received and you are one of the thousands of Flight Attendants throughout the United States to voice your concerns on Flight Attendant safety and security training, is to simply go to the APFA Web site, click on the TSA letter icon, complete the field, and submit your letter.

Attention Furloughed Flight Attendants: A vote on an amendment that would extend Unemployment Benefits for laid-off workers for an additional 13 weeks is expected in the Senate the week of May 10th. All furloughed Flight Attendants should take the time to contact their senators and urge their support of this amendment. You can do so using Capwiz on the Government Affairs page of the APFA Web site.

Representative Peter DeFazio, Democrat of California, along with Representatives Eddie Bernice Johnson, Jim Moran, Peter Deutsch, Jerrold Nadler, Michael Capuano, and Jan Schakowsky sent a letter to Gerard Arpey conveying their concerns over reduced layover rest and Flight Attendant fatigue. The various representatives urged Arpey to “review American’s current flight scheduling practices to ensure that your Flight Attendants are provided with adequate rest and an opportunity to eat so that they can perform their critical safety functions.” The entire letter has been posted on the opening page of the web site at www.www.apfa.org.

A special meeting of the Executive Committee was held on April 13th in the DFW area. Among the resolutions passed by the EC during their meeting were resolutions recommending the APFA Board of Directors direct the National Ballot Committee to prepare a ballot on a dues reduction separate from a ballot on any other recommended Constitutional changes; recommending that the APFA President schedule quarterly Executive Committee meetings at various base cities on a rotating basis in reverse alphabetical order; and, directing the APFA Communications Department to publish a new publication entitled “Skyword Express” beginning in June 2004.

The APFA Executive Committee will meet in special session on Monday, May 10th in the Unity Pays Room at APFA Headquarters. All members in good standing are welcome to attend all open portions of the meetings.

AMR American Eagle Flight Attendants will conduct informational picketing at Terminal B at the DFW International Airport on Friday, May 28th. The picketing will take place between the hours of 1300 and 1600. American Eagle Flight Attendants have been in contract talks with AMR for several years. APFA members are encouraged to join our fellow Flight Attendants in this picketing event.

A new and very destructive computer virus called the Sasser Worm is infecting both personal and corporate computers worldwide. Information on the Sasser Worm has been posted on the opening page of the APFA Web site.

In Rumor Control:

Is there any truth to the rumor American will be recalling furloughed Flight Attendants in July? No. American has made it clear to the APFA that they have no plans to recall Flight Attendants in 2004. Nearly 1,300 Flight Attendant currently on Overage Leave of Absence, not furlough, will return to active status on July 1.

Why are Pilots at American being provided with a restoration of some of the compensation they gave up as part of their Restructuring Agreement and Flight Attendants are not? American Pilots gave up a larger amount of their actual compensation as part of their Restructuring Agreement due to the fact that certain other concessions could not be implemented immediately. Since all concessions agreed to by the Pilots have now been implemented and are generating cost savings, a percentage of their compensation originally used to cover those cost savings is being restored.

In Industry News:

American reported April traffic results on Tuesday. The system wide load factor was 74.9%, which was an increase of 4.4 points from a year ago. Traffic increased 16% from April 2003, while capacity increased 9.1%. American boarded 7.7 million passengers during the month of April.

Under an agreement reached this week, Delta will re-hire 1,060 Pilots furloughed after September 11, 2001. An arbitrator’s ruling set the groundwork for the recall stating that Pilots would be returned to active status once passenger traffic reached a certain point, which was equal to or exceeded pre-September 11, 2001 levels.

That’s it for this edition of the APFA hotline. Please visit the APFA Web site for more information.

Thanks for calling.