10.13.00 – (LAA) – Negotiations, 1993 Strike Anniversary, National Presidential Election, Hotel Department, Flight 1420, US Airways/United Merger, AirTran’s Mechanics, Teamsters

Hello, This is Peter Day, member of the APFA Negotiating Committee, with a negotiation update for Friday, October 13th.

Negotiating sessions between the APFA and the Company did not occur this week due to previous commitments on the part of the Federal Mediator. Formal mediated negotiations will begin again the week of October 23rd in Chicago. The two sides will, however, meet for two days next week in the DFW area for a Company presentation on crew rest.

On another note, we want to alert you to our next membership action event. We will conduct system-wide informational picketing on November 18th. In case you weren’t around in 1993, November 18th is a very significant date for the American Airlines Flight Attendants-it is the anniversary of our 1993 strike, when we effectively shut this airline down for 5 days. Here we are seven years later and the company apparently has not learned its lesson. The Company’s most recent so-called comprehensive proposal is so incredibly inadequate that it makes it clear that the Company is determined to force another confrontation. The point of our system-wide informational picketing on November 18th is to show the Company that we’re mad as hell, and to remind the Company that, if necessary, the American Airlines Flight Attendants are prepared to do what may become necessary to get the fair and reasonable contract that we deserve.

However, we want everyone to know we will never ask any of our members to take any action that is not a legally protected union activity.

Please make plans to bid around this event so that you can join us in this show of solidarity and strength. Thank-you for calling the Hotline, now please stay on the line for more APFA and industry news.

This is Leslie Mayo, National Communications Coordinator with more APFA HotLine News for the week ending October 13, 2000.

The Presidential Election is right around the corner and APFA wants you to know that the APFA Leadership endorses the Gore/Lieberman ticket. Please check on your local APFA Bulletin Board or the Web Site at www.www.apfa.org for more information on APFA’s position.

From the Hotel Department: Please remember that when you are on a layover and are using your computer to log into the Internet, to use the LOCAL access number for that city. You will incur long distance charges if your dial-up phone number is not local for that particular city. Also, if you havenít yet taken the time to fill out the New York City Hotel Survey Card inside of your September Skyword, please do that as soon as possible. We want to know where YOU want to stay in New York.

One of the passengers from American’s Flight 1420 which ran off the runway in Little Rock last year, claimed in court that she was transformed from an energetic, fun-loving woman into a despondent person because of the crash. This is the second case to go before a jury, the first being her friend, Kristin Maddox’s lawsuit who was awarded almost $11M.

Over 98% of US Airways’ shareholders voted in favor of the United/US Airways merge. Meanwhile, Continental is fighting for attention by offering $215 million dollars to undercut DC Air’s part of the United/US Air sale of its assets and slots at Washington National airport . Continental’s CEO believes this merger will be bad for everyone. He was quoted as saying “The shareholders will lose, the communities will lose and the employees will lose”. He also pointed out that US Air and United are ranked 9th and 10th respectively in customer satisfaction. “When they merge they’ll be ranked 19th,” he joked. Lawmakers also agree that all is not peachy on the merge front as of yet. Substantial concessions will have to be met such as the divesting of gates, etc. on the East Coast to provide for competition.

AirTran’s mechanics and inspectors ratified a five-year contract this week. It includes wage increases, better benefits and job security as well as an employer-funded contribution pension program. AirTrans is represented by Teamsters Local 528.

Delta has announced major changes in their drug-testing procedures following the termination and subsequent offer of reinstatement of four Flight Attendants and one Pilot. The problems were with the procedures that a company called LabOne performed on the samples. They revealed quote “serious deficiencies” in tests conducted on alleged substituted urine samples. So far, none of the five terminated have accepted reinstatement.

Don’t forget to bid accordingly for November 18th. We are planning an informational picketing event for YOUR base from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM Local Base Time. Following this event will be a party planned by your Local Chairs. Also, show the Company how Unified you are: Union Pins, Nametag and Wings ONLY. See you on November 18th and thanks for calling the APFA Hotline.