6.20.06 – (LAA) – Pension Reform Bill

This is Leslie Mayo, National Communications Coordinator, with a Hotline Update for Tuesday, June 20, 2006.
 
Attention MIA-Domestic Flight Attendants
 
All Miami Domestic-based Flight Attendants should be aware that bid closing has been delayed for 24 hours. This is for MIA-D FA’s only. Bids will now close at 0001 on June 22. Please note that selections 73 through 79 contain mixed 757 and 752 equipment. In addition, these sequences originate out of Ft. Lauderdale. Since advance notice of mixing was not provided to the base, bids have been delayed to allow FAs to adjust their bid accordingly. 
 
Please stay on the line for the rest of the APFA Hotline.

This is Leslie Mayo, National Communications Coordinator, with the APFA Hotline for Wednesday, June 14, 2006.
 
The efforts of airline workers across the nation, including that of our own APFA members to stop the DOT from changing the foreign ownership rules that would directly impact our industry, met with resounding success in the House this week. By a vote of 291-137 the House voted to amend the Transportation Appropriations Bill to include the language that prohibits the DOT from moving forward on this issue. This bill must also pass the Senate in order to become new legislation. Please stay tuned as this is a positive step, but our fight is not yet over.
 
The Pension Reform Bill has not yet concluded in Conference on the Hill. There’s still time to send in your emails encouraging your Senators and House Representative to support the Senate’s version of the Bill, which includes protection for the future of our defined benefit plans. Please click on the following link or visit www.apfa.org and go to “Contact Congress Today re: Pension Reform” to send your message to Congress.
 
On Tuesday APFA and APA officers traveled to Tulsa at the invitation of TWU Local 514. Local 514 represents the employees at AA’s largest long haul maintenance facility. Most airlines today ship their long haul maintenance overseas. This facility is the largest aviation maintenance base in the world and AA is the last remaining U.S. carrier to have in-house long haul maintenance. President Tommie Hutto-Blake and APFA Treasurer Cathy Lukensmeyer represented APFA and observed first hand the transition that has taken place in Tulsa. Local 514 is committed to saving jobs, reducing AA’s overall maintenance costs, and generating new sources of income. The labor delegation walked the shop floor and talked to many front line workers, closing the day with a meeting at Local 514’s offices – three unions together – talking strategy. All parties reinforced our commitment to continue to work together.
 
In APFA News: AA will be offering bid leaves for the month of July at most domestic bases as well as IDF and IOR. Aside from full month leaves that may be granted, all other leaves not in conjunction with vacation will begin after July 11th. For those who requested a leave, be sure to check your HI10 to verify dates in the event your seniority warrants holding one of these leaves of absence.
 
APFA has agreed to a three month test of HISEND for Option II and Limited Option II at all bases. The test will begin in July and the procedures will be identical to HISEND for MU. We encourage everyone to use HISEND for both MU and Option II/L2. By doing so, it will allow F/As to be assigned trips that meet their parameters, as well as increase the efficiency of Crew Schedule by reducing outgoing calls to crewmembers. Be aware that if you request a trip and it is awarded prior to 19:00 local base time, it is considered confirmed. It is each Flight Attendant’s responsibility to check your schedule after 19:00.
 
Additionally the Company has noticed APFA that the Option II test they previously implemented at IDF and IOR – where Option II is offered every day of the month – will be expanding to ORD and DFW domestic in July. Reserve headcounts have reduced at IDF and IOR as a result of the Company’s implementation. In anticipation of the test at DFW and ORD, the Company has informed us that July’s planned reserves were reduced in number by seven at DFW and five at ORD. 
 
Rumor Control: Question: I hear the Company and the Union are discussing giving furloughs unlimited recall rights. Is this true? If so, how will this affect my seniority? Answer: APFA continues to meet with the Company in efforts to procure recall notices. APFA has not stopped requesting recalls since the last round of 610 notices went out in November of ’04. Currently, AA has parked twenty-seven S80s in the desert and announced last week that nineteen 757s will be returned to their lessor beginning in ’07. With this information, AA continues to maintain their position that they do not plan to increase Flight Attendant headcount this year.
 
Without recalls, our workforce will continue to remain stagnant with fewer transfers, PVD’s and leaves of absence, as well as higher reserve numbers. Simply put, the only movement in seniority right now is attrition. In October of this year, over 1,100 furloughees will permanently drop off the APFA five-year seniority list. By the end of this year there will be approximately 2,700 FAs remaining on the recall list. The most senior furloughed F/A currently has a five-year date of July 2, 2008.
 
Bankruptcy Watch: Today, a bankruptcy judge approved two of Northwest Airlines’ labor contracts between the pilots, baggage handlers and the ground workers. The total amount in annual concessions is $550 Million. As you recall, the Flight Attendants at Northwest, represented by PFAA, did not ratify their proposed Tentative Agreement (T/A) as negotiated under bankruptcy with an 80% NO vote. Their T/A included pay cuts of up to 40%. The Flight Attendants will return to the bargaining table with Northwest and both sides hope to have a deal wrapped up by the end of June. The Company has agreed not to impose pay cuts or work rules before July 1st, and the Flight Attendants have agreed not to Strike without 15-days notice. Until an agreement is in place, none of the pay cuts and work rule changes for the other workgroups will be implemented.

Fuel Watch: As of Tuesday, June 6th, a barrel of crude oil cost $68.56, down $3.94 cents from last Tuesday’s price. The crack spread price was $19.07, up $1.73 from last week’s price. This brings the cost of one barrel of jet fuel to $87.63 – down $2.51 from the price of jet fuel last week.

One year ago June, the price of a barrel of crude was $56.42, and the crack spread price was $13.06. The total for one barrel of jet fuel a year ago was $69.48, nearly $19 less than the price of a barrel today.

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That’s it for this week. Please remember we have 3,922 APFA members on furlough and ten members serving the military full time. Thanks for calling the APFA Hotline.