10.22.10 – (LAA) – Negotations Update, Recall Update, FAA in NYC, 2011 Benefits Enrollment, Secure Flight Program, WINGS

This is APFA National Communications Coordinator, Jeff Pharr, with the Weekly Hotline Update for Friday, October 22, 2010.

Negotiations Update

As reported earlier this week, APFA President Laura Glading and the APFA Negotiating Team met with the National Mediation Board’s (NMB) Chief of Staff, Dan Rainey and Director of Mediation, Larry Gibbons.

The meeting left us incredibly frustrated. The Team went to Washington with the utmost intent to leave with a commitment from the NMB to release us into the 30-day cooling off period.† But, as you now know, the NMB Representatives were unable to provide us with a release date.

The NMB dictates the process. That is the law. APFA has made it known in no uncertain terms that our Members are suffering, and for the past two and one half years have been working under concessions that were not agreed to. We signed a five-year concessionary contract – not seven, going on eight. The company has absolutely no incentive to bargain as they continue to save $1M a day. Only allowing the Railway Labor Act to proceed as intended will allow us to take the necessary steps and force the company to make good on their promise of shared gains.

By now everyone should have received the “State of Our Union” mailing from Laura Glading – a copy can be viewed by clicking here. As discouraging as this process has been, Laura Glading writes, “We must all support each other and fight against the predictable attempts by management to pit us against each other.”

Keep your anger and frustration directed at the one entity that can put an end to this at any moment – American Airlines.

Recall Update

Recall notices were sent to the 227 most senior Flight Attendants on furlough on Friday, October 15. These Flight Attendants have until Monday, October 25 to return their acceptance form via the prepaid FedEx envelope to a FedEx location so that the company can receive the form no later than October 27, 2010.

If you reject the offer of re-employment or fail to respond by the deadline, you will forfeit your recall rights.

If you have not received your recall notice and want to accept recall please immediately send an email to [email protected] and [email protected]. We will continue to update the Recall page of the APFA website with additional details of the recall as they become available.

It is currently anticipated that recall notices will go out to the next group of Flight Attendants the end of November or early December, to be recalled in first quarter 2011.

FAA in NYC

The FAA will be in NYC on October 27 and 28, 2010. Base manual audits will be conducted at JFK on Wednesday, October 27 and at LGA on Thursday, October 28. Flight Attendants flying in and out of these airports should expect to have their manuals audited by both the FAA and local Flight Service.

As always, please make sure your manuals are up to date. The latest manual revision and bulletins can be found on the Flight Service website via the “Manuals & Guides” link.

Anytime you encounter an FAA inspector, please send an e-mail including the date and flight number to [email protected].

2011 Benefits Enrollment

Open enrollment for 2011 benefits is available on Jetnet now through midnight central time on October 31, 2010. The passage of the Healthcare Reform Act brought much needed changes to health benefits. Please carefully read the information on the Benefits section of Jetnet in order to make the best decisions for you and your family.

New TSA Rule November 1

Beginning, November 1, 2010, the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) new Secure Flight Program will begin. †More information about the program can be found on TSA’s website.

What does this mean for employees? Travelers listed in your Non Revenue Trip Planer may need to be updated. With the launch of the program, TSA will require that the passenger name listed on the boarding pass match their government issued identification.

Employees have until October 31, 2010 to update their name and their guest travelerís names in Jetnetís Traveler Information. More detailed information can be found on the Flight Service website via the “Secure Flight Ready” link.

Here is an excerpt from the Flight Service website:

Get Secure Flight Ready – What Do I Do?

Verify that your name, and your guest traveler’s names, in Jetnet’s Traveler Information matches the valid government-issued ID used for travel. If they do not match, you can update them via these steps:

1. From Jetnet’s Travel page, select “Traveler Information”
2. Click “Edit” beside your name
3. Match the government issued ID you use for travel by updating your:
   a. First Name
   b. Middle Name (If you have one and is on ID)
   c. Add Redress Number if applicable
4. Gather full name details for your guest travelers and repeat the above steps.

Contact HR Services via the “HR Assistant” on Jetnet’s Travel page to chat live with an HR Services Representative 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday or to send a secure e-mail 24 hours a day.

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Please remember there are currently 1,340 members on furlough and awaiting recall.
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The Wings Foundation is much more than can recycling, though that is an important source of the funds they distribute to members in need. If you are an active American Airlines Flight Attendant and you primary home has been destroyed, please contact WINGS Disaster Relief. Visit their website for fund raising activities, to find base representatives, forms for donation ($$$, PVDs, etc.), or applications for assistance. See how you can help at your base. Wings was created by and is managed exclusively by AA Flight Attendants. Wings provide services only to AA Flight Attendants.

Check out Wings and all our APFA supported organizations through these links:

Wings // Airline Ambassadors // UNICEF/Champions for Children