6.24.11 – (LAA) – State of the Union Base Visits, Negotiations Update, Contract Talks Across the Industry, Departure Dependability Form, DOM Mutual Transfers, Virgin Atlantic Pilots Vote to Strike, UHC Lawsuit

Weekly Hotline

For the week ending Friday June 24, 2011

STATE OF THE UNION – BASE VISITS – LOCATION UPDATE

Beginning July 6, APFA President Laura Glading, Negotiating Team Members, National Coordinators and Representatives will visit each base city.

Please join us, along with your Local Base Leadership, and come with your questions and concerns for an informal, candid discussion and exchange of ideas on our Unionís past, present and future.

Additional details will be available at APFA.org.

• ORD/IOR – July 6, 2011
  K19 Operations – 0900-1300
• RDU-I – July 7, 2011
  Courtyard by Marriott ñ 1100-1400
• JFK/LGA – July 13, 2011
  International JFK Airport Hotel †- 1100-1400
• BOS/BOS-I – July 14, 2011
  Hyatt Harborside Hotel ñ 1100-1400
• DFW/IDF – July 20, 2011
  Yandry Center DFW ñ 1500-1900
• MIA/IMA – July 28, 2011
  Hotel MIA ñ 1100-1400
• LGA/JFK – August 4, 2011
  LaGuardia Marriott Hotel ñ 1100-1400
• LAX/LAX-I – August 10, 2011
  Ayres Hotel ñ 1000-1300
• SFO/SFO-I – August 11, 2011
  Embassy Suites South SFO
• DCA – August 17, 2011
  Ramp Conference Room ñ 1000-1300
• STL – August 18, 2011
  Renaissance Hotel – Time TBD

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE

“There have been some discussions with the company without the Federal Mediator, but no significant progress has been made,” APFA President Laura Glading commented. “The company still refuses to recognize the sacrifices we’ve made and the value we bring to the company.”

The National Mediation Board has yet to rule on our request for release.† APFA’s Negotiating Team continues to communicate with American to reach a deal outside of a 30-day cooling off period and will provide a thorough update during the State of the Union base visits next month

CONTRACT TALKS ACROSS THE INDUSTRY

Reuters.com released an article, Roundup of Contract Talks at Big US Airlines stating that it is ìa perfect storm of bargaining triggered by the concentration of giveback agreements and pension terminations between 2002 and 2007î, and offers a snapshot of talks across the industry.† Click here to view the article.

DEPARTURE DEPENDABILITY FORM – UPDATE

APFA’s Departure Dependability Briefing Sheet released last week caused quite the reaction from American, and prompted them to send †an e-mail message to all Flight Attendants asking us to “please discontinue distributing” the form.

APFA President Laura Glading commented, “I’m unclear as to why the company reacted so negatively. The document only contains information that is verbalized daily between Agents and Flight Attendants around the system. APFA created the form to assist in keeping the message consistent.

The professional Agents and Flight Attendants are under constant pressure for on-time departures,î Glading continued.† “The document was designed to let the Agents know we are not their adversaries. We have always, and will continue to work extremely well together in achieving on-time and early departures regardless of the company’s procedure for boarding.”

According to the company’s own communication regarding streamlined boarding they anticipate the new boarding initiative will actually result in a quicker boarding process. Therefore it should not be necessary to add additional time†for boarding to achieve on-time or early departures.

For now we urge continued communication with our Agent colleagues, but suggest holding off on using the form as Laura Glading continues to address the company’s position.

DOM MUTUAL TRANSFERS

The next round of Domestic Mutual Transfers will be paired from the transfer requests reflected in 3* records as of 0830 Central Time on Wednesday, June 29, 2011.† You must be in a flying status from 0001 to 2359 on June 29, 2011 in order to be eligible for pairing. The mutual transfers will be effective on August 1, 2011. Please ensure your transfer request is up to date and remove any transfer requests you are no longer interested in accepting.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC PILOTS VOTE TO STRIKE

Everything is not so angelic over at Virgin.† Close to 94 percent of the Pilots voted with 97 percent voting in favor of a strike. Pilots at the airline have not had a salary increase since 2008.† The company offered a 4 percent increase this year and 3 percent next year and in 2013, which the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) rejected. BALPA has yet to set strike dates while its BOD called for Sir Richard Branson to step in to help settle the dispute.

UHC LAWSUIT

Although APFA is not a party in the United Healthcare lawsuit, some Flight Attendants are reporting that they are receiving letters requesting additional information. We have verified with Berdon Claims that these letters are being sent out however not all claimants will have to provide additional information. Please watch your mail for any contact from Berdon Claims.

If you have questions pertaining to the lawsuit please contact the claims administrator, Berdon Claims.

Website – www.berdonclaims.com
Email – [email protected]
Phone – 1-800-443-1073†

—–
Please remember there are currently 594 members on furlough and awaiting recall. This number includes all recalls as of July 1,2011.
—–