4.09.10 – (LAA) – AA Responds to APFA’s Request for Release, Update Video, Road Shows Begin, Travel Certificates, Manual Audits, Dues Status, Campaign Against Human Trafficking

TWU local 513 hosts picketing at DFW to protest Exec Bonuses – April 15 – click here for details

APFA weekly HotLine update for Friday, April 9, 2010.

QUICK ALERTS

• AA responds to APFA’s request for release
• Update Video now playing – watch and share (read transcript)
• Road Shows begin April 12 in DFW; April 13 in BOS; April 14 in NYC (calendar)
• Alerts and reminders: travel certificates, manual audits, dues status
• APFA Flight Attendant in the news: Campaign against human trafficking

AMERICAN PLEADS: “NOT YET”

Recently, and as expected, American’s VP of Employee Relations Mark Burdette sent a letter dated April 1 to the National Mediation Board in response to APFA’s request on March 16 for release into a 30-day cooling off period. As would have been foreseen by anyone paying the slightest bit of attention to our negotiations, the company’s position is counter to ours, calling our request “premature.” This could all be regarded as just an April Fool’s prank fallen flat if it were not the very future of our profession and our own wellbeing at stake.

The closing statement of American’s response to the NMB exposes management’s true intent as Burdette concludes the letter by suggesting arbitration as a possible end result of our negotiations. Clearly management is positioning itself for a third party to decide our fate. This is why APFA members must take control of the process, exactly as intended in the very policies of the Railway Labor Act that Americanís team aims to circumvent. We must show that we are not willing to sit by and let the company’s inaction win out.

APFA President Laura Glading stated in regard to AA’s letter of response: “We remain convinced that unless the bargaining process is moved to the next step, American will keep on stonewalling so that it can continue reaping, as it has for seven years, more than a $1 million a day in Flight Attendant sacrifices.”

As the three-member National Mediation Board now considers both APFA’s request and the company’s response, we continue our preparation to ballot the membership for a strike authorization. President Glading explains the importance of your strike authorization YES vote in a new video update playing on our YouTube channel. Can’t access YouTube? Read the transcript here.

Your Negotiating Team needs the backing of every member with a YES vote on the strike authorization ballot-scheduled for mailing later this month-to show AA, the public and the NMB that we are not willing to accept less. Management must confront the rightful demands of its Flight Attendants for the rewards we were promised and which we deserve for our part in the 2003 AMR bailout.

National Strike Administrator Patrick Hancock’s words in last week’s HotLine bear repeating here: “[The] strike authorization ballot is not asking you to accept what APFA might be proposing; it is rather your way to tell management that you do not accept the concessions they are demanding.”

NEGOTIATING TEAM TAKES IT TO THE BASES

Exactly what further concessions American is trying to extract from APFA members is to be discussed and explained at the series of Seeing Red Informational Road Shows coming to each base city (twice at DFW). The meetings begin Monday, April 12 at DFW and continue the same week on Tuesday, April 13 in BOS and Wednesday, April 14 in New York. Meetings last from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and are open to members in good standing. View complete calendar. This week’s venues are:

DFW – Monday, April 12
Hilton Garden Inn – DFW South (map)
2001 Valley View Lane
Irving, TX 75061
972-313-2800

BOS – Tuesday, April 13
Courtyard Marriott Logan Airport (map)
225 William F. McClellan Highway
Boston, MA 02128
617-569-5250

NYC – Wednesday, April 14
Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel (map)
135-20 39th Avenue
Flushing, NY 11354
718-460-6666

Other dates and locations are:

RDU – Monday, April 19 – Wyndham Hotel RTP-RDU Airport
DCA – Tuesday, April 20 – Radisson Hotel Reagan National Airport
STL – Wednesday, April 21 – Renaissance St. Louis Hotel – Airport
ORD – Tuesday, April 27 – Sheraton Gateway Suites Chicago O’Hare
LAX – Wednesday, April 28 – Hilton Los Angeles Airport
SFO – Thursday, April 29 – Embassy Suites San Francisco Airport – South SFO
MIA – Monday, May 3 – Wyndham Miami Airport Hotel & Executive Meeting Center
DFW – Tuesday, May 4 – Grapevine Convention Center

See other location details at here.

A companion pamphlet is being printed and mailed to all Flight Attendants as a Skyword Express / Negotiations Update. Containing several of the charts used in the Road Show meetings along with explanations and analysis, the pamphlet should begin arriving at membersí homes shortly and will be made available online.

ATTENTION COMMUTERS – SKYWEST RECIPROCAL AGREEMENT CHANGES

We have been informed that SkyWest Airlines is no longer participating in the Reciprocal Travel Agreement with AA as it pertains to flights operating as and for United Express (flight numbers in the 5800 – 6964 series according to the HI6 from Flight Service). SkyWest flights operated as and for Delta Connection and AirTran are not affected. ZED fares for SkyWest operated United Express flights remain available.

PROPER CREDIT FOR PERFECT ATTENDANCE TRAVEL CERTIFICATES

APFA has been advised by some Flight Attendants that they were having problems receiving proper credit for prior NRSA travel for Perfect Attendance Certificates. NRSA has informed us that they have completed processing all requests and refunds should have been reflected on a prior pay stub. If you were not properly credited for travel and have been unable to resolve the issue with NRSA, please send a detailed email to the APFA National Contract Coordinator at: [email protected].

BE READY FOR FAA MANUAL AUDITS – LGA, JFK, SFO

The APFA Safety and Security Department alerts Flight Attendants to increased manual audits at:

JFK: Tuesday, April 13
LGA: Wednesday, April 14 and Thursday, April 15
SFO: Monday, April 26 through Wednesday, April 28

Flight Attendants scheduled to fly on those days through those airports should be aware of increased audits by the FAA and/or Flight Service. Whenever you have an audit conducted, please be sure to alert the Safety and Security Department with the details by an email afterward to: [email protected].

DUES STATUS FOR VOTING ELIGIBILITY

As the strike authorization ballot is set to be mailed shortly, all members are reminded that you must be a member in good standing not later than the close of business on the fifth (5th) day prior to the time limit for the casting ballots (the Balloting Date) of any election or referendum in order to be deemed eligible to vote. If you have questions about your dues status, please contact the APFA Dues Department. Email: [email protected] or call 817.540.0108 ext. 8154

The ballot will begin arriving in your mailboxes mid-April and voting will be electronic as provided in the Constitutional Referendum passed January 7, 2010. All instructions will be provided in the ballot packet. Contact the National Balloting Committee with any questions. Email: [email protected] or call 817.540.0108 ext. 8311.

IOR FLIGHT ATTENDANT CONTINUES CAMPAIGN AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING

In the Fall 2008 edition of Skyword, IOR Flight Attendant Sandra Fiorini introduced her fellow APFA members to the organization Innocents at Risk and their work combating human trafficking. Sandra continues to speak out and educate her colleagues and the traveling public on this topic, which she approaches with much sincerity and concern. In a recent video and article by Elizabeth Lee from Voice of America entitled: “Flight Attendants Are First Line of Defense Against Human Trafficking,” Sandra’s work and the organization are featured. Members are encouraged to view it at VOANews.com through this link. The Innocents at Risk Human Trafficking Hotline number is: 1-888-373-7888. Read Sandra’s Skyword article again here.

MOBILE SABRE ACCESS

A version of Sabre for crewmembers running on Windows Mobile has been available from Flight Service for some time. Flight Attendants have inquired of a version for iPhone or other mobile phone operating systems, similar to what the APA developed for limited crewmember entries by pilots. Flight Service has informed APFA that their iPhone application for full Sabre access (similar to the Windows mobileFOS or the web access Sabre) is in development. A recent poll on the Flight Service website asked Flight Attendants to indicate the operating system on their mobile phone. If you missed this and are interested in an iPhone app for Sabre, please email your FSM and advise that you would find this tool valuable.

TALKS RESUME AT BRITISH AIRWAYS

The Unite union, representing Flight Attendants at British Airways announced Wednesday that talks have resumed with management. This follows seven days of strike action spread over the two weekends preceding Easter. In the release, Unite’s Joint General Secretary Tony Woodley stated: “It is welcome that talks have resumed and I am pleased that some serious progress has been made over the issues which have divided us.

“However, there is more work to be done, and further discussions will take place with the company over the next few days. I reported to representatives of our cabin crew today and explained that it would be unnecessary to set further strike dates while these talks are continuing and making progress.”

APFA RETIREMENT BRIEFINGS ñ DFW AND ORD

APFA Retirement briefings, presented by IDF Flight Attendant, Patrick Hancock, are scheduled for DFW on April 12 and Chicago on April 27, both at 2:00 PM. The briefings will last approximately two hours. Both meetings will be held at the same locations as-and immediately following-the Seeing Red Informational Road Shows. For DFW: Hilton Garden Inn, DFW Airport South. For ORD: Sheraton Gateway Suites Chicago O’Hare. Come to the Road Show then stay for the Retirement Briefing!

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. Flight Attendants from all bases are welcome to attend and no reservations are required.
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Remember that there are currently 1,363 members on furlough and awaiting recall.
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