2.25.11 – (LAA) – Negotiations Update, Base Elections, Recall Update, Vacation Bidding, BOD Annual Convention, Wisconsin, MoveOn

APFA Weekly Hotline Update for the week ending Friday, February 25, 2011

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE
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As we further await to hear from the NMB, a survey has been posted on APFA.org.†Hundreds of members have already taken the survey.

What’s your confidence level with our current Management Team? It’s time American hears directly from you.

We are asking every member to participate. It will be difficult, even for these executives, to ignore the opinions of 18,000 Flight Attendants.

Log-on to APFA.org today and voice your opinion. Log-in required.

Need assistance logging in to the website?†E-mail the membership department at [email protected].

The survey will be available until March 31, 2011.

BASE ELECTIONS
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Today the National Ballot Committee along with BallotPoint Election Services has certified the Base Representative Elections.

For BOS – Jennifer E McCauley was elected Base Chairperson. Jennifer McCauley received 111 votes and Denise Bartholomew received 53 votes for a total of 164 votes.

For IOR – Beth M Kilcran is the newly elected Base Chairperson. Beth Kilcran received 441 votes, Debbie Bauer received 196 votes and Jon D Murden received 15 votes for a total of 652 votes.

Abby Alconcher is the newly elected IOR Vice Chairperson. Abby Alconcher received 465 votes and Stace Hickerson received 183 votes for a total of 648 votes.

For LGA – Christian Casadey is the newly elected Base Chairperson. Christian Casadey received 368 votes and Willie Aviles received 195 votes for a total of 563 votes.

Eric Hodgson is the newly elected Vice Chairperson. Eric Hodgson received 374 votes and Deborah J Holliday received 184 votes for a total of 558 votes.

For MIA – Julie May Moyer is the newly elected Base Chairperson. Julie May Moyer received 153 votes, Anna Bailey received 126 votes and Cheri Washbish received 69 votes for a total of 348 votes. Melinda Hill is the newly elected Vice Chairperson. Melinda Hill received 200 votes and Michelle Bernstein received 144 votes for a total of 344 votes.

A detailed breakdown of each election is posted on the the Elections and Balloting Page of APFA.org.

RECALL UPDATE
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The Recall page on APFA.org has been updated with information and several documents including a Q&A document. As information becomes available, including further details on the additional recalls, we will update the Recall page.

RECALLS ALREADY MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Aside from returning to work after a long and difficult struggle, having recalled members back on the line also helps with stagnation.† Evidence of this was seen again this week with the company posting nearly 200 transfers to DFW, LAX, LGA, MIA and ORD. Some of these members have been awaiting transfers for eight years.

The additional recalls announced last week will only increase the ability for the company to grant additional transfers and the potential for leaves over the summer.

VACATION BIDDING

Primary vacation bidding will close on Monday, March 7 at 08:00 Central Time. You can find detailed information on Vacation bidding in the letter posted on the Crew Resources page of the Flight Service website. If you accrued less than 7 days, you can still submit a ballot. However, your ballot will not be considered until after all Flight Attendants that accrued 7 or more days of vacation have had their primary and secondary bids awarded. The system will only accept a ballot for those that accrued less than 7 days during the primary round of bidding.

BOD ANNUAL CONVENTION

The 2011 APFA Board of Directors Convention will be held March 3-6, 2011 at the Hotel Palomar in Arlington Virginia.

The meeting will begin on Friday March 4, 2011 at 09:00 a.m. ET

All members in good standing are welcome and encouraged to attend.

WISCONSIN

In the wee morning hours today the Republican lead Wisconsin Assembly voted to strip collective bargaining rights from most public workers.

Provisions of the bill include increased worker contributions to pensions and healthcare insurance, pay cuts, an annual vote for the union to remain in place and no requirement to pay union dues.

In a further effort to strong arm the demise of unions, the Wisconsin Senate Republican Majority Leader, Scott Fitzgerald sent State Troopers to Wisconsin Senate Democrats home to return them like wayward children to the Senate floor so that a vote could be taken in that house. Sadly for Fitzgerald not a single Democrat Senator was at home thus delaying the vote. The bill must pass in both the Assembly and the Senate before it can be sent to Governor Scott Walker to be signed into law.

APFA President Laura Glading sent a letter of support to Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President, Phil Neuenfeldt, and a similar letter to the Wisconsin State Senate President, Michael Ellis, voicing APFAís support for the public sector employees.

Laura Glading writes in part, ìGovernor Walkerís belligerence in refusing to compromise reveals his true objective of unjustly villainizing workers and unions for a crisis created entirely by the recklessness of Wall Street.î

The letters can be read here and here.

MoveOn.org

In support of the attack on labor in Wisconsin the website MoveOn.org is organizing a ëRally To Save The American Dream.í

On Saturday, February 26, at noon local time, rallies will be held in the front of every statehouse and in every major city to stand in solidarity of the people of Wisconsin.

For more information about the rally in your state click here.

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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.
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