1.08.10 – (LAA) – NBC Has Tallied the Results of the Constitutional Referendum

APFA weekly HotLine update for January 8, 2010. A message from President Glading.

This is APFA President Laura Glading and today is January 8. I address in this week’s HotLine three issues important to our members.

First, the National Balloting Committee has tallied the results of the Constitutional Referendum, which has been under discussion in our Union since being authorized at the fall Board of Directors meeting. The referendum received wide support for four of the five proposed changes to our organization, while the membership chose not to alter the current structure of our dues amount. Your Union Leadership is pleased with results and would like to thank all who participated in this most basic of union rights.

Second, as we all look for signs of a turn-around in our industry, Flight Attendants continue to express concerns over their job security. APFA members-especially the most junior-need assurances to rely on and to plan their futures. We have discussed this at length with management and are very pleased that yesterday we reached a mutual understanding.

We recognize that an excess of Flight Attendants is expected to persist through 2010, and that it is unlikely all of the excess can be alleviated through our usual contractual means. Nonetheless, American has agreed that any overages which remain after exercising contractual provisions will be absorbed by the company and will not result in furloughs at least through August of this year. Beyond that, the contractual provisions-including proffers of leaves and partnership flying-will continue to be exhausted to mitigate remaining overages and help prevent job loss.

We appreciate this good faith effort on American’s part to provide some relief to the most immediate concerns of a significant portion of our membership and feel it will go far to avoid distractions as we attempt to successfully conclude a new agreement.

Lastly, we begin 2010 ready to refocus our energies fully on achieving this new and improved contract for our members. During the recent holidays, your Negotiating Team remained hard at work reviewing reports from economic advisers, strategizing with legal counsel, and meeting with our Federal mediator and management to lay the groundwork for the next phase of talksówhich we have called “lockdown” bargaining. The outcome of this two-week session, beginning on January 11, will be a deciding factor in how we proceed from here.

After years of sacrifice, it is now OUR TURN. All of us must be ready to do what is necessary to reclaim what was promised, what is due and what is deserved by our members.

Solidarity-clearly displayed-is paramount, now more than ever. The company must see that we stand together today and know by this that we will act as one tomorrow. Non-participation is not an option. Wear only your APFA pin with the yellow disk and Flight Attendant wings on your uniform. Stay informed and be confident of what we can achieve with unity.

Thank you.