2.15.02 – (LAA) – Recall of Furloughed FAs, Primary Vacation Bidding

This is Leslie Mayo, National Communications Coordinator, with the APFA HotLine for Friday, February 15, 2002.

APFA has received no further information regarding the recall of at least 400 of our furloughed Flight Attendants, effective April 1, 2002. Please remember to update your address with PeopleLink at (800) 447-2000. Once you hear the recording, press 1, then 7, then enter your emp. no. followed by the pound sign. Be prepared to hold. PeopleLink is open Mon. – Fri. from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time. The Company has ensured APFA that your address will be updated in SABRE once the PeopleLink update has been made.

American should begin sending recall notices sometime next week. At that point, each of the recalled Flight Attendants will have 10 days from the date postmarked on their envelope to respond. For further information, please visit the APFA website at www.www.apfa.org and locate the Furlough Q&As.

Primary vacation bidding for the period beginning May 2002 through April 2003 will open Saturday February 16 and close at 0001 Central Time on March 7. Awards will be posted no later than March 15. Secondary vacation bids will open March 16 and will close at 0001 Central Time on March 23. Secondary vacation bid awards will be posted no later than March 31. If you are on an Overage Leave of Absence, please be aware that your accrued vacation time may be inaccurate as it appears in HISK. When bidding, refer to the vacation days displayed on your vacation bid ballot for the correct amount of days you have been awarded.

Last week, we asked our members to call their House Representatives and request support for H.R. 622 – the bill designed to extend the number of weeks of Unemployment Benefits for dislocated workers. We have good news to report – the bill was successful in passing this week and will provide each State with the ability to enter into a temporary extension of Unemployment Benefits for an additional 13 weeks. This will kick in once the 26 weeks have expired.

The company has reported staffing reductions on the 777, effective April 1. APFA had already filed a Presidential Grievance on the first round of 777 cuts. An arbitration date has been set for May 2002.

The APFA Board of Directors will hold its Annual Convention in Miami, Florida, the week of February 18-22. All members in good standing are welcome to attend all open portions of this meeting.

The New York Domestic base will be holding a meeting on Tuesday, February 26 for all furloughed APFA members. The meeting will begin at 10:30 at JFK in the Group Room. This is located above the International check-in. APFA Representatives will be on hand to provide information and answer questions.

As a reminder, those Flight Attendants who are awarded a Leave of Absence or an Overage Leave are dues-obligated for the length of your leave. Please make payment arrangements with APFA prior to the start of your leave by contacting the APFA dues department, ext. 8152.

Thank you for calling the APFA HotLine.