12.31.10 – (LAA) – Negotiations Begin Another Round of Bargaining, Human Trafficking, Day of Action, Recall Update, WTS, Manual Audit, Last 5 Days of the Month, Early Retirement

APFA Weekly HotLine Update for the week ending December 31, 2010

BACK TO THE TABLE
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As a reminder, the APFA Negotiators will be returning to the table on January 4-6 in Nashville for another round of bargaining. We will provide you with an update at the conclusion of the meetings.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

The end of the year is often a time of reflection as well as planning for the New Year. It has been both an honor and pleasure to represent this incredible and professional workforce. Your continued support has, as always, made me incredibly proud to serve along side each of you. We will continue to face challenges in the upcoming year as we strive to achieve the contract that we all deserve.† It is through our strength of unity and firm resolve as a Union that we will achieve our goals. I extend my sincere thanks to each of you for all that you have done over the past year and continue to do in support of your Union. Best wishes for a safe, happy and healthy New Year.

– APFA President Laura Glading

HUMAN TRAFFICKING ñ DO YOU KNOW THE SIGNS AND WHAT TO DO?

Human trafficking is the second largest and fasting growing criminal industry in the world! It is expected to shortly overtake drugs as the number one crime worldwide because a drug can be sold once, but a person can be sold repeatedly. According to Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, 10,000 cases of human trafficking are expected around this year’s Super Bowl.

In a major public awareness effort around the Super Bowl event, Airline Ambassadors International has partnered with Traffick 911 in the coordination of a training session to educate more airline personnel and the local community on how to recognize the signs and what to do if you suspect human trafficking. The training will be held on January 31 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the DFW airport in the Yancy Conference Center (across from gate C2). Please click here for more information on how to register or visit the APFA website for more details.

DAY OF ACTION

United Flight Attendants and the Pilots of United and Continental Airlines, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), will be conducting information picketing at locations around the world on January 7, 2011 to reaffirm their commitment to securing new Contracts.

United employees made huge sacrifices eight years ago as they entered bankruptcy during which time more cuts were made to their pay, health care, and work rules. United Flight Attendants did their part to help save their company ñ now itís time for management to do their part.

Please join our brothers and sisters on the picket line in solidarity in their continued fight to achieve the contracts they deserve. Click here for times and locations.

RECALL UPDATE

We’d like to remind our recalled members returning to the line that recall information, including a Q and A is available on the Recall page of the APFA website. In particular, we’d like to remind those Flight Attendants who returned to the line in December to review the information concerning their 420 threshold for December to ensure they accrue Vacation and Sick Time for that month as well as receive subsidized rates for their insurance in December if they will be electing benefits from American.

Welcome back and we look forward to seeing you on the line!

WTS
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Willingness to Serve (WTS) Notifications for Base Chairperson, Base Vice Chairperson and Base Operational Council Representatives for all bases were mailed to all members.†Anyone interested in serving your union should complete and return the form to APFA. The forms are due back in the designated P.O. Box by 10:00 a.m. CST on January 6, 2011.†Ballots will be mailed on January 26, 2011 and electronic voting must be completed by 10:00 a.m. CST on February 25, 2011.

As a reminder you must be a member in good standing to both run for office and to cast your ballot. To pay your membership dues, please contact the dues department at 817-540-0108 ext. 8157 or email [email protected].

FROM THE SAFETY & SECURITY DEPARTMENT
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The FAA would like to wish us all a Happy 2011 by conducting a Manual Audit in Miami! The FAA along with Miami Flight Service will be conducting random Manual audits and carry-on baggage compliance in Miami January 4-6.

Anyone flying in and out of Miami on those days could be subjected to the manual audit and compliance check. Please ensure your manuals are up to date with the latest bulletins and revisions. The latest manual information is available on the Flight Service website. Checking your manual against the List of Effective pages (LEP) is the only way to ensure your manual is 100% complaint.

Also, please review the carry-on baggage policy language found in the Boarding section, pages 2.6 – 2.9 of our manuals.

FROM THE SCHEDULING DEPARTMENT
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Monday, December 27, began the last five days of the contractual month of December. Flight Attendants who experience an Illegality or Cancellation during this period should review page 23 of the On Duty Contract Guide to determine if the Last Five Days of the Month Cancellation/Illegality Protection applies in their case and, if so, the precise steps to follow.†Important points to remember are listed below:

1. It must be your last trip and originate in the last five days of the month.
2. Sequence pay protection only applies to Flight Attendants over their guarantee. If you are below guarantee, you have NO obligation and your guarantee is IN TACT. If Crew Schedule†† tells you otherwise, ask to speak to a senior. If they will not connect you to a senior, call or email your base chairperson.
3. You are only obligated to take a trip that is EQUAL or LESS than your original trip that canceled. You are NOT obligated to take a trip that goes into the next month.
4. If Crew Schedule assigns you a trip and then that trip cancels too, you are released with no further obligation and your pay protection is met. If Crew Schedule tells you otherwise, ask to speak to a senior. If they will not connect you to a senior, call or email your base chairperson.
5. You MUST be on the MU list for all days originally scheduled to fly PLUS any calendar days touched when adding eight hours to the original arrival time. For example: You had a three day LHR that cancels on the 27th and it was due to return at 1800 on the 29th – you must be on the MU list for the 27-30th (1800/29 plus 8 hours = 0200/30th). Crew Schedule can give you anything that originates (departs) up until 0200/30th.

Again, the rules listed above apply to anything that they offer you.

FROM THE RETIREMENT DEPARTMENT
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The APFA Retirement Department reminds flight attendants that are planning on retiring after January 1, 2011 that you will be offered the option to sign up for Supplemental Medical Insurance. Active employees will no longer need or have Supplemental Medical, but retirees will continue to have the option to have AA Supplemental Medical, but only if they sign up for that insurance within 30 days of retirement. Any questions should be directed to your Base Chairperson or by email to the APFA Retirement Department.

HOLIDAY OFFICE CLOSURES

The APFA Headquarters office will be closed on Friday, December 31, 2010 in observance of the New Year holiday. Regular office hours will resume on Monday, January 3, 2011. On behalf of all the APFA representatives at Headquarters and in the field, we in the Communications office wish every member a safe and New Year.

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Please remember there are currently 796 members on furlough and awaiting recall. This number includes all recalls as of April 2, 2011.