4.23.04

Hello. This is Liz Geiss, DFW InfoRep Captain, with an InfoRep hotline for Friday, April 23rd, 2004.

On Wednesday, April 21st, 2004, APFA representatives and members gathered on Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress on the issue of Flight Attendant fatigue. In these meetings, we discussed how reduced layover rest is causing extreme fatigue, and expressed our concern that Flight Attendants are not provided with sufficient rest. We also stated that federal rules must provide this sufficient rest to ensure that Flight Attendants can perform their safety and security duties. Our volunteers urged Congress to become involved, and revise the federal regulations to "8 hours behind the door". Thanks to all of our volunteers who traveled many miles to personally deliver our message, our mission has proven to be a very successful. Yesterday, we were notified that Senator Barbara Boxer has agreed to sponsor a letter on Flight Attendant fatigue that other Senators can co-sign, and present to FAA Administrator Marion Blakey. Senator Boxer has also agreed to introduce a stand along bill on the issue of mandatory Flight Attendant security training. Good job!

Our second visit to Capitol Hill will take place on May 12th. APFA members will join with other Flight Attendant unions in Washington, D.C. to lobby key members of Congress on the issues of Flight Attendant duty times, fatigue, and safety and security training. On that day, the unions will also present the TSA with signed letters from their membership urging the agency to review the current safety and security training for Flight Attendants and ensure that such training meets the criteria Congress supported in the Homeland Security Act and the Vision 100 FAA Reauthorization bill.

Come join the crowd and be a part of the APFA delegation in Washington, D.C. on May 12th. Contact IMA Vice Chair Rick Musica via e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 817-540-0108 or 800-395-2732, extension 8462 no later than May 7th. All commitments must be firm and documented by the deadline for security purposes. Rick will need your name, base, employee number, phone number, e-mail address, and your nine-digit Zip Code or Congressional District.

Flight Attendants will meet at the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Headquarters located at 501 3rd St. NW in Washington, D.C. at 1000 Easten Daylight Time. Additional details of this event will be posted on the web site and included on the APFA Hotline.

In Rumor Control:

Q. With approximately 2,200 Flight Attendants returning from various leaves of absence by July 1, 2004, will American face an overage? If so, how will they deal with such an overage?

A. Whenever American faces a "short-term" overage of Flight Attendants, they may contractually offer bid leaves, mini-leaves, and PVDs to offset such an overage. The Company has already begun offering leaves and PVDs throughout the system. Only in the case of a long-term overage as outlined in Article 16 of the contract will American offer Overage Leaves in lieu of layoff. The Company has already said they do not plan to re-offer Overage Leaves once Flight Attendants return from such leaves in July 2004.

Q. Has American agreed to give us back our 2001 contract if we accept the terms of this contract for ten years?

A. No. The APFA and American have not discussed any such agreement. The APFA and the Company may open early in 2006 in advance of the amendable date of 2008.

Q. Is it true that American is planning a mandatory customer service training class for Flight Attendants?

A. It is APFA’s understanding that American is considering a mandatory class for all customer contact employees including Flight Attendants. APFA has voiced our concerns over the timing of such training with the Company. Any such training will be paid at training rates of pay in accordance with provisions of our contract. APFA adamantly opposes the use of employee concessions to finance this training.

Q. Will Flight Attendant Certification restrict the number of hours a Flight Attendant can fly each month or their ability to waive their contractual duty rigs?

A. No. Certification only requires that a Flight Attendant successfully complete all FAA approved training requirements. More information on Flight Attendant Certification can be found under Hot Topics and on the Health page of the APFA Web site.

That’s’ it for this edition of the InfoRep hotline. Please visit the web site at www.afpa.org and call the regular hotline at 1-800-399-2732 for more information.

Thanks for calling.