8.28.09 – (LAA) – Skyword Online Available, Virtual Picket Line, GOT UNION Disc

APFA weekly HotLine update for Friday, August 28, 2009.

QUICK ALERTS

• Skyword Online for Summer 2009 is now available. Go to: index.php?&view=category&id=35
• Are you “marching” on the picket line yet? Add your name now to the APFA Virtual Picket Line at www.APFAvirtualpicket.com
• Wear the yellow “GOT UNION” disk behind your APFA pin and show you are part of OUR TURN Around Campaign.

HOT OFF THE VIRTUAL PRESS: SKYWORD ONLINE

The Summer 2009 issue of Skyword Online, the electronic version of APFA’s official publication, is now available through the easy link: index.php?&view=category&id=35. Accessible without website login, (except for a few members-only articles), Skyword Online replaces the print version of Skyword but still contains the many articles and news items useful to our members. Of particular note in this issue: President Laura Glading’s “State of Our Union” review of events over the months since taking office. View, download or print articles right from the Skyword Online contents page, also available through a link from the APFA.org main page. If you personally print an article and most are just one or a few pages long please share the copy with a colleague.

ëOUR TURNí AROUND CAMPAIGN SHOWING UP ON MEMBERS’ LAPELS

Also featured in Skyword Online, “Our Mobilization Will Maximize” – one of two articles from the APFA Negotiating Team – details OUR TURN Around Campaign. It has begun as a national mailing to members with a letter by President Glading, an instructional insert and your two-color APFA pin disk. With the yellow side reading “GOT UNION” showing, the disk is to be placed immediately behind your APFA pin. All members should be displaying the yellow disk by August 31, the date we resume mediated talks with American in Washington. Show the public and company management that youíve GOT UNION. Wear only your APFA pin and wings and move all other items to your serving garment. As a work force which is scattered around all parts of the globe, we must use this very visible way to demonstrate our unity of purpose and our support of the APFA Negotiating Team and our Union as we bargain for improved pay, work rules and benefits.

If you need a replacement of your APFA pin or disk, or if you did not receive the national mailing, please contact the Membership Department at: [email protected] or headquarters extension 8153.

AWAITING RESULTS OF FURLOUGH MITIGATION OPTIONS

The second, re-opened, round of the furlough mitigation option proffers closed on Wednesday morning (Tuesday night for the Travel Separation) and the ballots are now being reviewed and processed by the Company. As before, APFA will continue to advocate to match up the shorter leave requests wherever possible to reduce the number of potential furloughs.

As we have been advised by Flight Service, it is anticipated that results of the Overage Leave, Modified Partnership Flying and Travel Separation Program will be available the afternoon of Tuesday, September 1. Please check the HotLine and/or website as they will be updated as soon as the information becomes available.

Many members currently on leave have inquired about how the COBRA subsidy under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) affects them. The Company is currently reviewing options, based on this law, for those who previously took Overage Leaves originating after September 1, 2008. They will be communicating with those Flight Attendants impacted once they have completed their internal review. We will also provide information on this hotline as it becomes available.

“MARCH ALONG” WITH SUPPORTERS OF APFA ON OUR VIRTUAL PICKET LINE

Join the several thousand APFA supporters-members and public alike-who have already signed up on APFA’s online Virtual Picket Line. Anyone and everyone is encouraged to join and add their own picket sign wording by going to: apfavirtualpicket.com. Send this site address to friends and family. Have them add their names to those already “marching” for a new and improved contract. While on the site, check out the links to APFA’s YouTube, Facebook and Twitter pages.

VIEW JUNE MEMBERSHIP OUTREACH MEETING VIDEOS ONLINE

Hundreds of members unable to attend the June Membership Outreach Meetings have watched some or all of the meeting videos now playing on APFA.org. Part four explains OUR TURN Around Campaign in more detail while all the video segments (each several minutes long) provide an extensive overview of our negotiations goals and progress. (Click here to view the videos. Website login is required.)

MAKE SURE YOUR SENATORS HEAR FROM YOU

Donít let your Senators end the summer recess and return to Washington without hearing from you! Our APFA Capwiz account makes it easy to send emails to your elected officials on legislative issues of importance to our profession. Two such Senate bills are now in play:

• The Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act (S.1422) aims to clarify the eligibility requirements of the Family Leave and Medical Act with respect to airline flight crews who have been largely left out of the eligibility calculation of the FMLA due to our unusual scheduling patterns.
• The FAA Reauthorization Legislation (S.1451) contains all of our Flight Attendant provisions, including the fatigue study, OSHA Regulations and English Language requirements. It is expected on the Senate floor in September.

Take a moment now to use our Capwiz page fill-in forms to email your Senators through these two links:

S.1451 – FAA Reauthorization Legislation (click here)
S.1422 – Family Leave for Crewmembers (click here)

WILLINGNESS-TO-SERVE NOTIFICATIONS FOR STL VICE CHAIRPERSON

For STL based Flight Attendants, remember that the Notifications of Willingness-to-Serve (WTS) for the position of Vice Chairperson at STL are due back in the post office box indicated on the notice by 10 AM (1000) Central Time on Wednesday, September 9, 2009. Please contact the National Ballot Committee with any questions via email to: [email protected] or headquarters extension 8311. The complete election timeline is detailed on the Elections and Balloting page of APFA.org. (A downloadable WTS is available on that page.)

AMERICA BIDS FAREWELL TO A STAUNCH PUBLIC SERVANT

This week came sad news of the passing of Massachusetts Senator Edward ìTedî M. Kennedy (http://kennedy.senate.gov) Though he had been an early proponent of airline deregulation in the 1970s, (and expressed reservations over its outcome in later years), Senator Kennedy has long been at the forefront of some of the most important advances by and for workers in this country-including an impressive number of hard-won gains in the areas of health and welfare. His lifetime of public work is rightfully recognized and praised by past and present leaders of all political leanings.

APFA was proud to recognize Senator Kennedy’s leadership role this past spring in awarding him the first “Senator Edward M. Kennedy Award for Public Service on Behalf of the Labor Movement.” APFA is but one on a long list of organizations which have been honored to consider Ted Kennedy a friend and ally in the fight to improve working conditions in this country. Though his impact will continue to have far-reaching benefits for working Americans, his presence will be missed by all who advocate on behalf of labor.

(Click here to read Senator Kennedyís letter from the Spring 2009 Skyword.)

9-11 MEMORIAL ACTIVITIES

Check APFA’s “In Memory of” page (click here) for information on 9-11 anniversary activities planned this year by groups in both the San Diego and the DFW (Grapevine) areas.

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Remember that there are now 1,252 members on furlough and awaiting recall.

Visit the new and updated Wings Foundation website to learn about this organization formed by and operated for the benefit of AA Flight Attendants. Find out how to contact Wings representatives at your base for volunteering, donating or seeking confidential assistance. Wings works through the generosity of Flight Attendants around our system. Go to: wingsfoundation.com for more information.