9.18.09 – (LAA) – AA Announces a Major Network Restructuring, Mediated Talks with AA, STL VC Ballots Due, Retirement Seminars, OUR TURN Bag Inserts

APFA weekly HotLine update for Friday, September 18, 2009.

QUICK ALERTS

• American announces a major network restructuring.
• Mediated talks with AA held this week in Dallas. Click here to view our new video.
• STL based? Watch for your Vice Chairperson election ballot in the mail soon.
• ** UPDATED ** Retirement seminars scheduled at DFW on October 19. (October 23 meeting canceled.)
• New OUR TURN bag tag inserts available to print, cut and carry. Click here.

AMERICAN AIRLINES ANNOUNCES NETWORK RESTRUCTURING

On Thursday, September 17, American announced several financial initiatives and a major network restructuring. Most obvious to our members and the public will be a realignment of flights at the major hubs (DFW, ORD, MIA and JFK) as well as LAX, including the restoral of some previously canceled flying, the addition of several new cities and a reduction in many markets, including flights at STL and RDU.

As the company has characterized this as a reallocation of our present capacity and has not announced reductions in overall flying, it is not apparent at this time that it will result in any general manning decrease. As for the future of flying at STL, an answer to a question on Jetnet states that the company has no plans at present to close the crew base.

APFA will continue to gather information from the company and discuss as needed any impact on our membership and bases. Following are links to the AA Press release, the Flight Service announcement and the information on Jetnet:

Press release from AA.com

Flight Service/Jetnet links (Jetnet login required):

Lauri Curtis announcement
Special Jetwire
Network Restructuring Q&A
Network Restructuring slides

MEDIATED TALKS THIS WEEK IN DALLAS

One thing that is apparent in all this is that American still has the ability to raise the billions in funds necessary to support and even expand its operation. Meeting with the company this week in Dallas, your APFA Negotiating Team has the companyís own actions to back our contentions that investment in AA’s future is again at the forefront. There is no better investment than in the long term stability of a justly-compensated workforce, with sensible, humane and efficient work rules and benefits that befit our sacrifices that have added up significantly since 2003 and only continue to grow. While AA lines up these new financial initiatives, let’s not forget the over $1 million per day that our current agreement saves the company and letís not miss the opportunities to point out to management and the public that it is clearly OUR TURN to reap reward from all we’ve given up.

To remind everyone of this fact-that after a year and a half of bargaining we are ready for OUR TURN- a new YouTube video is posted to our channel at: youtube.com/aaflightattendants. Also available through this direct link, the timing is fortuitous as this work by your Negotiating Team parodies the culture of Executive Compensation and negotiations at AA. Watch the video today and share it with your friends.

Demonstrate to the company when you come to work that you know it is now OUR TURN. Place the GOT UNION yellow disk behind your APFA pin and wear only the APFA pin and wings on your uniform jacket. This is a highly visible sign that you stand with your fellow members and behind your Union and Negotiating Team as we actively bargain for a new working agreement. Consider what not wearing your pin and disk shows the company: that you are OK with the status quo and that they can continue to drag their feet, undervalue our contributions and literally bank on our continued sacrifices.

Need a replacement pin or disk, email: [email protected] or leave a message at headquarters extension 8153.

Be an informed member: read the Summer 2009 Skyword Online article: “Our Mobilization Will Maximize” for full details of your Negotiating Team’s plan. Go to: index.php?&view=category&id=35 or click here.

Check the Negotiations page of APFA.org for a Point-Counterpoint review of the Company’s proposals thus far. Go to: index.php?&view=category&id=351 (website login required).

Add your name and comments to APFA’s Virtual Picket Line at: APFAvirtualpicket.com. Send this link to your friends and family and have them join, too.

STL VICE CHAIRPERSON ELECTION

On Tuesday, September 22, 2009 the APFA National Ballot Committee will mail out ballots for the Vice Chairperson election at STL. Ballots must be received in the designated P.O. Box by 10 a.m. Central Time on Thursday, October 22, 2009.

After allowing adequate time for mail delivery, STL base Flight Attendants needing a duplicate ballot may request one by:

• calling the National Ballot Committee at 817.540.0108 extension 8311, or
• emailing: [email protected], or
• using the online Duplicate Ballot Request form from the Elections and Balloting page of APFA.org

In accordance with the APFA Policy Manual, if both an original and duplicate ballot are received, only the duplicate will be counted. Duplicate ballots will be issued, upon request, up to five (5) days prior to the ballot due date.

You must be a member in good standing (dues current or on an official APFA payment plan) no later than five (5) days prior to the election in order to be deemed eligible to vote. Payment plans must be executed at least thirty (30) days prior to the balloting date for the member to be deemed eligible to vote for their Base Representatives. If you have questions about your dues status, or need to arrange a payment plan, please contact the APFA Dues Department at 817.540.0108 extension 8154, or email: [email protected].

As detailed on the Elections and Balloting page of APFA.org, the STL Vice Chair election is being conducted under the supervision of the US Department of Labor. For answers to your specific questions about the election and balloting procedures, contact the APFA National Ballot Committee via email to: [email protected] or by calling headquarters extension 8311.

** UPDATED ** DALLAS/FT WORTH RETIREMENT SEMINARS

Retirement seminars for Flight Attendants are scheduled at DFW for Monday, October 19 at both 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. (The earlier announced October 23 meeting is canceled.) The meeting place will be the Yandry Center, located across gate C2 in DFW terminal C. Flight Attendants from all bases are welcome to attend and no reservations are required. APFA Retirement specialists Patrick Hancock and Jackie Philips will be present, as well as APFA reps from DFW and IDF. Discussions include pension selections and retirement benefits, including insurance and travel. To get the most out of these helpful and popular seminars, print out and bring your personal pension estimate and plan calculation formulas from Jetnet.

NOTES FOR THOSE ON OR ABOUT TO START A LEAVE OF ABSENCE

Retroactive COBRA Subsidy: We have received many calls from Flight Attendants who took Overage Leaves that began after 9/1/2008 and elected to continue their medical and dental benefits at 100% of the cost, asking whether they will eligible for the ARRA* subsidy on a retroactive basis. While you will be eligible for the subsidy, the company is still working through the details and it may take couple more weeks to determine the exact process. Once that has been determined each affected Flight Attendant will be receiving correspondence from Human Resources. We will also update this hotline with more information once the final information becomes available. (*ARRA: the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009)

Uniform Ordering: You cannot order uniform items while on a leave. Since uniform points expire at the end of each year and do not roll over to the next year, you would need to place an order for uniform items prior to the start of your leave.

Dues Obligations: The APFA Treasurer reminds those Flight Attendants currently on, or soon going out on, a voluntary Overage Leave of Absence that you remain dues obligated during the leave. Once you return from your leave, if you have not prepaid your dues or paid monthly throughout your leave, you will have sixty (60) days to set up a payment plan for the dues accrued and owed. This payment plan must result in payment of your dues accrued during the leave in a time period no longer than twice the length of your leave. It is easier to prepay your dues upfront, or to leave a credit card on file for monthly billing. You will still receive a monthly statement. Make your arrangements via email to the Dues Department at: [email protected]. Or call headquarters extension 8154.

CHECK YOUR HISK FOR ACCRUAL TARGETS

The National Contract Coordinator reminds everyone that now is the time to review your HISK to ensure you are on track to accrue your Sick and Vacation time for 2009. Remember you must be paid an average of 35 hours per active month in order to actually accrue your sick and vacation time for the year. If you do not meet your threshold (420 hours for Flight Attendants that are active all 12 months of the year) you will not accrue any sick or vacation for the year. Each year several hundred Flight Attendants miss their threshold and end up with no vacation. Or worse, they end up in an overpayment for PVDs they used in 2009 which were never actually accrued. If you are falling short of your threshold, now is the time to start planning to ensure you will have enough hours prior to December 31.

HELP US BUILD OUR CASE OVER DEPOSIT ISSUES

Are you receiving erroneous missing deposit alerts or having OSR problems? In conjunction with APFA’s Presidential Grievance, details are required from all Flight Attendants who have experienced issues with missing liquor deposits, missing deposit notifications, OSRs, and liquor safe deposits. Please forward this information to the Vice President’s department at: [email protected]. Include all pertinent details, plus your contact information. If you have received a missing deposit notification, email your Flight Service Manager and ask for a written follow up on the status of the missing envelope. Forward copies of your correspondence, along with management’s response, to APFA Vice President’s department at: [email protected]. Contact your Division Representative if you have any questions.

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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.