10.27.00 – (LAA) – Mediated Talks, Negotiations, DFW FA Pam McIntosh Participate in San Diego Triathlon Challenge

Hello, this is Peter Day, member of the APFA Negotiating Team with the Negotiations Hotline for Friday, October 27th.

Mediated talks continued this week between the two parties and the discussions involved Article 7, Hours of Service, Crew Rest and Reserve. Overall, the talks were productive and positive in nature.

The Company finally seems committed to providing what is necessary for acceptable crew rest.

Although, tentative agreements have been reached on 25 of the 38 articles, to date, the key economic issues have yet to be negotiated.

Members of both Negotiating Committees will travel to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday to meet with the Federal Mediator, as well as Board Members of the NMB. The parties will then resume negotiations in Chicago on Wednesday.

That’s it for this week, Please stay on the line for more APFA and Industry news.
Thank you Peter, this is Patrick Hancock, InfoRep System Coordinator, with the rest of the APFA HotLine news for the week ending October 27, 2000.

Preparations for the system-wide picketing on November 18th are in full swing. Now that bid awards are final, make your plans to join your fellow Flight Attendants at each base for informational picketing between the hours of 11:00 – 15:00 local base time. If you are a commuter or will be on a layover in a non-base city, check the APFA.org web site after Monday for a complete list of commuter cities where we will be picketing. Each base is planning a party following the picketing, again, check the web site after Monday for complete details, or contact your base chairperson.

Well, what happens when you have a perfect “Ghost Ride” and you have one of those shriveled souls supervisors who just can’t say “Good Job! Keep up the good work?” Well, they just make up something to complain about. We recently had a Flight Attendant “Coached and Counseled” about giving out too many cans of soda. Ohh, heaven forbid that a passenger who has paid hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars is given a full can of soda! And you thought management was only parsimonious with employees.

Speaking of quality work, a study of medical defibrillators over a two-year period says 40% of passengers recovered after being treated with the device aboard American Airlines planes. That compares with rates of 30% or lower, for firefighters and paramedics using similar equipment. American attributes the positive difference to trained flight crews with quick and easy access to the defibrillators. The study’s authors concluded that defibrillators should become standard equipment for all commercial aircraft.

AMR said on Thursday that it has periodically held merger talks over the past several months with other airline companies. They said “The company is considering its strategic response to the possibility of industry consolidation, and from time to time is engaged in discussions with other carriers regarding significant business combinations and acquisition of assets.” Recent speculation has linked American with Northwest or British Airways, but any future deals are not likely to take place until regulators approve or reject the proposed deal between UAL and US airways. Keep your eyes peeled.

The DFW Domestic representatives have been on top of the understaffing problems on the 777 that occurred from Aug 1 thru Oct 9, 2000. The have arranged understaffing payment for you if you flew during this period. The company has now gone through the records and found about 200 F/A’s who are due understaffing pay. The pay will show up in your Oct 31st paycheck. Please call the manager of pay-comp, Dick Bunting at 817-967-7895 if you feel you are due understaffing and were missed.

United Airlines pilots overwhelmingly ratified a contract this week, that gives them industry leading pay. ALPA said 95% of the more than 8,000 pilots who voted had voted “yes.” Under the pact, United’s 10,500 pilots get immediate raises of 21.5% to 28.5% plus 4% annual increases thereafter. These raises reverse the wage concessions made by UAL pilots during the employee buy-out of Unite, and move the pilots to the industry leading wage position. In exchange for these wage improvements, United was granted the right to operate more small regional jets in its commuter partner airlines.

DFW Flight Attendant Pam McIntosh and her husband Tad are participating in the Annual San Diego Triathlon Challenge to raise money for the Challenged Athletes Foundation. The CAF assists people who have become physically challenged with grants that cover such things as artificial limbs, wheel chairs, hand cycles and other devices that allows handicapped people to participate in sporting events. These $10,000 to $15,000 prosthetics are not normally covered by insurance. Pam and Tad have set a personal goal of raising $50,000 for this worthy cause. To contribute, please contact them at 214-521-8012. We wish them the best of luck in this noble endeavor.

That’s all for this week. Call next week for more information, and see you on the picket line November 18th, and remember, Pins and Wings only.