5.21.10 – (LAA) – Negotiations End without an Agreement, Strike Authorization Ballot Results, CE Rewards/AIP Checks Out, Texas Gubernatorial Election, Sterile Cockpit Procedures, MIA Vice Chairperson Election Notice

This is APFA President Laura Glading with a special Hotline Update for Friday May 21, 2010.

Although there was some progress, we ended this week’s negotiations at the National Mediation Board without an agreement. Talks broke off at 10:30 pm this evening.

During our Road Shows we said we would not bring you a contract that still contains unacceptable concessions. We stand by our promise.

In a record turnout, 96.8 percent of the membership voted YES for strike authorization this week. That vote in turn was a no vote for concessions.

Sadly, as we walk away empty handed – it was reported today in an SEC filing by AMR, that the top five executives of American Airlines were awarded additional shares of AMR stock – and with today’s estimated value, that’s $12.8M.

We’ve been down this path before and it’s clear we have reached an impasse. The strike vote shows our strength and unity. We await the National Mediation Board’s response to the current status of negotiations and our pending request for a release into the 30-day cooling off period.

Stay Unified, Stay Strong and Stay Informed. It’s OUR TURN NOW and we will NOT back down.

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This is DFW Flight Attendant, Brenda McKenzie, with the APFA weekly HotLine update for Friday, May 21, 2010.

QUICK ALERTS

• Strike Authorization Ballot results
• Another round of negotiations in Washington D.C.
• CE Rewards/AIP checks out. Have we got a check for you!
• Frontier Airlines vote for union representation
• APFA Executive Committee delivers endorsement in Texas gubernatorial election political rally scheduled
• Safety and Security: Sterile cockpit procedures reminder
• Election notice for MIA Vice Chairperson

STRIKE AUTHORIZATION BALLOTING RESULTS

The Strike Authorization Ballots were tallied on May 19, 2010. Ninety percent of eligible members voted and a record 96.8 percent YES to approve the strike authorization.

President Laura Glading stated the overwhelming vote in favor shows that “Flight Attendants are strong, unified, and willing to do what is necessary to achieve an agreement that significantly improves our pay, benefits and work rules.”

BACK TO THE TABLE

Negotiators were called back to the table on May 18, 2010, by the National Mediation Board for another round of bargaining. President Laura Glading stated, “If we do not have the framework for a tentative agreement at the end of this week, we will continue to push the National Mediation Board for a 30-day cooling off period at the end of which we can engage in a strike or other forms of self-help.”

In order to avoid distractions and focus on the task at hand, the National Mediator imposed a media blackout on Thursday of this week which prohibits the discussion of events at the table. A special hotline update will go out at the end of this round of mediation.

PLEASE, SIR, MAY I HAVE SOME MORE …

If you have visited Jetnet or the Flight Service website lately, or read your HI6 messages, you’ve already seen the invitation to see a Flight Service Manager beginning May 14 and collect your Customer Experience Rewards/AIP quarterly payout. Maybe you’ve looked at your ePays statement and wondered why the payout didn’t show as direct deposited. Well, it seems the company wants to personally hand you the 150 bucks (less taxes of course: which means most of us will receive under $100.00). This shallow gesture of misplaced goodwill is simply more evidence of AA’s inability to understand their own workforce of safety and service professionals. It’s truly unfortunate that AA Management believes that something this superficial can ameliorate the problems that have festered below the surface of its organization for years.

Setting aside the obvious inadequacy of the payment, what we need and demand from the company is real reward for what we do, day in and day out, under the onerous RPA. Our 2003 bailout of AMR has left us, collectively, over two billion dollars poorer while at the same time it has handsomely-and by all measures unjustly-enriched the top executives and select 1000 or so managers. It’s very difficult to believe that they don’t know what we’ve sacrificed. This can only lead one to think – management simply does not care how badly it has treated us. But as you stand in line to receive your check and handshake, we have a little something you can give your FSM in return. Download, print and deliver the check from our “Seeing Red Bank” to your favorite manager when you have a chance and remind them that our Thank You should come in the form of a contract. We no longer trust the handshake of management. Click here to get your copy.

FRONTIER AIRLINES VOTE FOR UNION REPRESENTATION

The first vote under the National Mediation Boardís new union certification rule was tallied this past Wednesday. Frontier Airlines Flight Attendants voted to be represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-Communication Workers of America (AFA-CWA). Congratulations and welcome, to our new union brothers and sisters at Frontier.

TEXAS GUBERNATORIAL RACE ENDORSEMENT AND RALLY

The APFA Executive Committee met via teleconference on May 13 to endorse Houston Mayor Bill White in his race to unseat incumbent Governor Rick Perry in the Texas gubernatorial election on November 2, 2010. See the endorsement resolution here.

A political rally in support of Bill White has been scheduled for Friday, May 28, 2010. There will be a meet and greet at 2:00 p.m. at the UAW 218 Union Hall located in Hurst. For directions click here to see map.

FROM THE SAFETY AND SECURITY DEPARTMENT

With the ongoing emphasis on sterile cockpit procedures by the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board, the Safety and Security Department would like to remind all Flight Attendants of the following guidelines provided in the federal aviation regulations:

Sterile Cockpit Period (FAR 121.542): “Critical phases of fight include all ground operations involving taxi (aircraft in motion) takeoff and landing and all other flight operations conducted below 10,000 feet altitude. No crewmember may perform or engage in duties or activities during critical phases of flight that are not required for the safe operations of the aircraft.”

Captains have been instructed to add sterile cockpit procedures in their crew briefings before each flight. Please refer to our In-flight Manual for policy and procedure guidance.

ATTENTION MIA FLIGHT ATTENDANTS – VICE CHAIRPERSON ELECTION

On Tuesday, May 11, the National Ballot Committee mailed to all members based at Miami Domestic (MIA) an Election Notice and Willingness-to-Serve (WTS) to fill the vacant position of Vice Chairperson at the base. For those members interested in serving as Vice Chairperson for the remainder of the current two-year term ending March 31, 2011, a WTS must be received in the designated Post Office Box no later than 10:00 AM (1000) Central Time on Thursday, June 10, 2010. Should an election be necessary, ballots will be mailed on June 29, 2010. As a convenience, a downloadable copy of the Election Notice and Willingness-to-Serve is available through the MIA base page, and through the Elections and Balloting page , of APFA.org. Please contact the National Ballot Committee with any questions at 817.540.0108 ext. 8311 or by email to: [email protected].

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Remember that there are currently 1,363 members on furlough and awaiting recall.

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