10.12.01 – (LAA) – FA Surplus, AA Proffering 6-Month Overage Leaves and Partnership Flying, Filing Appendix T Applications, Airline Workers Fairness Act, Aviation Security Act

This is Leslie Mayo, National Communications Coordinator, with the APFA Hotline for Friday, October 12, 2001.

The Company announced yesterday that effective November 1, there will be a Flight Attendant surplus of 3,306. Details are as follows:

BOS-I 20
DCA-I 9
IDF 248
LAX-I 40
JFK 173
IMA 201
IOR 340
RDU-I 12
SEA 13
SFO-I 135

Domestic

BOS 119
DCA 103
DFW 431
LAX 406
LGA 294
MIA 417
ORD 227
SFO 118

The Company is proffering 6-month overage leaves and partnership flying. The proffer opened today, October 12, at noon. Leaves are effective from November 1, 2001, through April 30, 2002. If interested, you must submit a HI-SEND message to Planning using HI-SEND form #32 for overage leave requests and form #20 for partnership requests. This proffer will close on Thursday, October 18, at noon Central Time. Results should be available the next day. Leaves will be awarded in each base by system seniority order. If you are awarded an overage leave, you will continue to accrue Company, classification, and occupational seniority for the duration of the leave. Your eligibility for health benefits is the same as if you were active. You will be granted full travel privileges on American Airlines and TWA, with the exception of D-1 benefits.

Should an overage still exist at a particular base after the processing of leaves, partnership-flying requests will be awarded. APFA has developed an area on our web site for you to post information if you are interested in locating a Partner. If a surplus still exists after awarding overage leaves and partnership flying, any additional furloughs would occur in reverse system seniority order, regardless of base, and would be effective November 1. Please refer to Article 16, Reduction In Force, for additional information on overage leaves, and Appendix F, Partnership Flying, for a description of the partnership-flying program.

Although the deadline for filing an Appendix T application is November 12, if you have made a firm decision to take Appendix T, early notification to the Company may reduce the number of furloughs occurring on November 1. Filing early does not require that you leave early, as you must still give at least two (2) weeks notice. Earlier this week, APFA discovered that the new pay rates were not included in your October 15 paychecks. This issue has been resolved and a separate check will be cut and issued in the same manner as you currently receive your paychecks – either via paper paycheck or direct deposit. These supplemental checks will be available as early as October 15. The contract implementation schedule is posted at www.apfa.org. APFA is committed to ensuring all of the provisions of the new contract are implemented as quickly as possible.

The so called “Airline Workers Fairness Act”, the proposed legislation that would require a third party to decide how TWA is to be integrated into our seniority list, was not included within the Aviation Security Act; however, it is still active legislation and is currently in Committee. APFA continues to make known its opposition to this proposed legislation. We have closely coordinated our efforts with APA and are considering a lobby day, if necessary, later this month. The “Bond” Bill (S. 1479) remains in Committee and has not yet reached the Senate Floor. The House companion Bill (HR 2989) proposed by Missouri Congresswoman Joanne Emerson is also in Committee. Thanks to the many APFA members who have communicated opposition to their Representatives regarding these bills. Please continue to contact your Senators and Representatives to let them know how you feel about a third party getting involved with seniority integration at American Airlines.

The Aviation Security Act unanimously passed the Senate yesterday. Unfortunately, this legislation did NOT include the Carnahan amendment that would have provided economic benefits, job training, and health care coverage to airline industry workers who were laid off as a result of the 9/11 attacks. This piece of legislation has been tabled for the time being.

We are pleased, however, that the Senate bill provides for complete federalization of airline security screening. The House was expected to take up its version of the bill today; but, House Republicans have balked at fully-federalizing the security screeners and have threatened to delay voting on this Bill. APFA has been a strong advocate for federalized airport screening. We will keep you posted on this bill.

That’s it for this week. This HotLine will be updated next Tuesday, October 16. Thank you for calling the APFA HotLine.