9.08.00 – (LAA) – Negotiations Update, APFA Website, SkyWord, Base meetings, United Airlines FAs

Hello, This is Peter Day, JFK Flight Attendant and member of the APFA Negotiating Committee, with the Negotiations Hotline for Friday, September 8, 2000.

Preparations for the first face-to-face talks under the direction of Federal mediator Linda Puchala continued this week. APFA Negotiators have been working with our attorneys to fine-tune our proposals. Our first meeting with the mediator will take place in the DFW area on September 12th, and 13th. The first joint mediated session will begin on the afternoon of the 13th and continue through the 14th.

Please remember that the mediator will now set the course for these talks. It will ultimately be up to her when and where the parties will meet, how often they will meet, and the issues to be discussed at each meeting.

And finally, a note about our Labor Day Event. We had an incredible turnout for our leafleting Campaign. All Ten Base airports were filled with Flight Attendants in full uniform handing out leaflets and making the public aware of our plight for a new contract. We received lots of news coverage and held press conferences at several airports. There were an estimated 50,000 leaflets handed out across the system to a very upbeat and positive response from our passengers.

Now please stay on the line for more APFA Hotline news.

This is Leslie Mayo, APFA National Communications Coordinator with more Hotline News for the week ending September 8, 2000.

APFA has filed a lawsuit against American Airlines in protest of AA’s misapplication of the Peak Performance through Commitment Policy (PPC). This relates directly to specific cases of Career Decision Days issued to Flight Attendants in Los Angeles and JFK and SFO and was filed August 21st in California. APFA will keep you posted on the details as they occur.

If you’ve visited our new web site at www.www.apfa.org and you had trouble logging into the members only part of the site, please ensure that your Social Security Number is on file with APFA. Your username is your last name and your initial password is the last four digits of your Social Security Number. Once you log onto the site, you may change your members only password. Also, keep in mind that when you log into the Bulletin Board, your username is your last name followed by your 6-digit employee number. This is different from the members only portion. Remember that the address updates you make with American are not shared with APFA’s computer database. Please keep your address, phone number, base and e-mail address up-to-date with us. Call the membership department at HDQ, Ext. 8153 or e-mail them at [email protected].

The most recent issue of Skyword will be shipped by the end of the week. Along with all the usual goodies, you will find a Hotel Survey regarding the New York Layover Hotel. Please fill this out and send it back to the APFA Hotel Committee as soon as possible.

Base Meetings for September include: IDF September 12 at 11:00 a.m. at APFA Headquarters, DFW on September 13 at 11:00 a.m. at their local base office and LAX, also on September 13 at noon at their local base office. SFO/SFO-I will be held at the end of the month, September 27th at 10:00 a.m. Also, DFW/ IDF and ORD have “reps in Ops” Day. Please call your local Chair or Vice-Chair for more details.

American Airlines announced a number of new routes this past week. December 15, they will begin non-stop service twice daily from San Jose, California to Maui and San Jose, CA to Miami. These flights will be operated with the Boeing 757. AA also added three daily non-stops from LaGuardia to St. Louis and seasonally, from LaGuardia to West Palm Beach, twice daily. This flight will be operated with the S-80.

American’s system load factor for August was up 5.5% from the same time last year. Loads reached 78.4 percent ñ Domestic traffic was up 4.6 percent and international traffic was up 4.6 percent.

United Airlines Flight Attendants will be informational picketing at airports around the world during the month of September. This is directly related to the way United dealt with all of the cancellations and delays this summer.

United’s Teamsters have asked for mediation in talks over a new contract for their mechanics and related workers. Union President Scotty Ford said, “We’ve made steady progress in contract talks with United so far”. The remaining issues, though very few, are the hardest to resolve. We feel the National Mediation Board’s involvement will help speed a settlement.”

Remember, it’s Union Pin and Wings only. Thanks for calling the APFA Hotline and stay unified!